Sokah2Soca - The Heartbeat of Soca, Calypso, and Caribbean Music

Image via caribbeanjams.com 

Don't panic, and yes, we are aware that carnival festivities are now in second gear. We are monitoring the situation and posting results as they come in, so we are starting early.  

This post will feature all the winners of Carnival competitions 2023. We start with the Steel Band Competitions and will feature the winning performances via SoundCloud music players. This will be a long post featuring all the various categories for Carnival 2023.

Single Pan Panorama Champions - San Juan Chord Masters - First Experience by Ken Marlon Sokah2Soca · San Juan Chord Masters - First Experience by Ken Marlon Charles

Small Conventional Bands The Panorama Champions of 2023 are the Uptown Fascinators, performing "Dollar Wine" by Colin Lucas. Panorama Live · Panorama 2023 Small Conventional Finals

National Under 21 Panorama Champions - T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Youth Steel Orchestra - Mash Up by BlaxxSokah2Soca · T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Youth Steel Orchestra - Mash Up By Blaxx

National Secondary Schools Junior Panorama Champions - Naparima Combined - Big Bad Soca by Bunji Garlin 

We Capture... Panorama Live · Naparima Combined "Big Bad Soca" (2023 Junior Panorama Finals)

The winner of the Medium Conventional Bands category at the National Panorama Competition Finals is the Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra from Tobago. 

WeCapture.... Panorama Live · 2023 Panorama FINAL Medium Bands @ Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.

National Panorama Finals - Large Conventional Bands. The winner - BP Renegades playing a song by Black Stalin entitled "Feeling To Party." The song was arranged by Duvon Stewart. 

WeCapture... Panorama Live · Panorama 2023 Large Conventional (Finals)

The Young King 2023 title was awarded by the National Action Cultural Committee (NACC). The Young King (Calypso) for Carnival 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago is Heaven Charles aka Snakey.

Heaven Charles, aka Snakey, captured the Young King's Crown on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023. The competition took place at the Grand Stand, Queens Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. The winning song was "What Yuh Need Trinbago."

Below, you can find the top four contestants.

1. Heaven Charles aka Snakey - What Yuh Need, Tinbago
2. Duane Ta'ziah O'Connor - Sing Halleluja
3. Nicholas Lucas - Since Dr. Williams
4. Mical Teja (Mical Williams)—Hall of Fame

Kaisorama Extempore National Champion 2023

1. Brian London
2. Winston "Gypsy" Peters

Brian London defeated Winston "Gypsy" Peters at the Kaisorama, which took place at the Queens Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. This win completed the hat trick for Mr. London as Extempo Monarch.

National Freestyle Competition 

1. Myron "Calypso Nite" Bruce
2. Akeem "Preedy" Chance

Myron “Calypso Nite” Bruce, formally known as the Incredible Myron B, also became the first-ever Freestyle champion, defeating Akeem “Preedy” Chance in the final.

National Chutney Soca Monarch 2023

National Chutney Soca Monarch

1. Ricardo "Daddy Chinee" Melville—We Are One
2. Kenneth Supersad—Moonilal
3. Imran Beharry aka "GI"—Wheeler
4. Rick Ramoutar —Leave and Gone
5. Katelin Sultan—Tell Them  Ah Ready

Queen of Chutney Soca Monarch 2023 

1. Katelin Sultan—Tell Them Ah Ready
2. Ramrajie Prabhoo—Picture on the Wall
3. Shazaeena Ramsumair—Mother-in-Law Pressure

National Calypso Monarch 2023

Terri Lyons was the defending monarch, while Duane Ta'zyah O'Connor is the 2023 National Calypso Monarch. Sokah2Soca extends hearty congratulations to the new monarch... well done, young man!

The 2023 results were as follows:

1. Duane Ta’zyah O’Connor—Sing Hallelujah
2. Kerine “Tiny” Williams-Figaro—To You With Love
3. Karene Asche—Oasis
4. Roderick “Chuck” Gordon—Maths Eh Mathsing
5. Tameika Nandi Darius—Jahaji Bash
6. Terri Lyons—House Cleaning
7. Ezekiel Yorke—Being Human
8. Maria Bhola-Paul—People Man
9. Helon Francis—Mighty
10. Heaven “Snakey” Charles—What Yuh Need Again, Trinbago?
11. Mark Eastman—Pride
12. Carlos “Skatie” James—The New Normal

Road March Competition (bands on stage at pre-determined judging points):

1. Bunji Garlin - Hard Fete - 135 plays
2. Nailah Blackman x Skinny Fabulous - 106 plays
3. Machel Montano x Patrice Roberts - Like Yuhself  - 50 plays

King & Queen of Carnival Competitions

Junior Kings (Non-School)

1. Jarel Peters - A Musical Explosion - Sweet Trinbago
2. Enzi Davis - The Face of Humanity - Ubuntu
3. Shamarq Azario Collis - Like Fish Outta Water - Mauvais Langue

Junior Kings ( Schools)

1. Xavi Harriot - Guardian of the Shaolin Temple - Passage to China
2. Kymani Brooklyn Browne - Pan Under the Stars - Let There Be Light
3. Peter Barrow - Can This Dragon Dance - Passage to China

Junior Queens (Non-School)

1. Alyssa Sirjoo - Mama Africa - Ubuntu 
2. Netanya Phillip - Dance La Reine Rive - Dat is ah Trini
3. Kioni Oxley - Dance Soucoyant Dance: A Tribute to Hilton Cox Fire in De Savannah Dance - Know Yuh Icon 

Junior Queens (Schools)

1. Makayla Questle-Frederick - Moonlit Matura - Let Here Be Light -
2. Azelia Mills - Beautiful But Deadly - Passage to China 
3. Ciara Selman - Nandi –A Tribute to Helen Humphrey - Outta D Artist Attic 

Carnival Kings and Queens of the Bands

Senior King of  Carnival:

1. Raymond Mark - The Feathered Serpent Creature Ku Kul Kan from the band Mythical Creatures
2. Ted Eustace - El Conquistador
3. Joseph Lewis - The Haunted Jab of Canboulay

The Senior Kings and Queens of Carnival 2023 Results (TTT via YouTube Video Clip - TTT All Rights Reserved)

Senior Queen of Carnival:

1. Priya Nagassar - The Mother of All Carnival Celebrations from the band Celebration of the People
2. Mary Eligon - Cleansing Fire
3. Shynel Brizan - A Dancer of Freedom's Cousinship to Epitaphs of Faith

National Stick Fighting Finals

1. Selwin Joseph John
2. Evon Ralph 

Stick Fighting is an old African tradition brought to Trinidad by the slaves during the latter part of the 17th century (Curtis Joseph, Youtube Post). This is a recording of the finals that took place at Skinner Park in San Fernando, Trinidad 2023.

Trinidad Carnival Lagniappe 2023 - A Night With The Champions. This show takes place after the end of King Carnival to celebrate the successes of the festival.