BVI News

Luther B

Even though he won the calypso competition for the third consecutive year on Saturday evening, Calypso Monarch Luther  B feels Saturday night’s finals was a ‘water down’ competition.

Luther B won with his song ‘Legacy’. It was the first time in the history of the Virgin Islands Calypso competition that calypsonians had to sing one song in the competition – a situation which was not in favour of many.

“It feels great. I feel greatly rewarded, it was a really tough one for me personally in terms of getting prepared for this competition, I feel greatly rewarded for this competition because all what we been through in terms of the different controversies that we had, I feel great now that I have been able to overcome all that and come through with a crown,” he said.

Luther B said it’s a more difficult task to win a competition singing two songs.

“It’s definitely more challenging singing two songs and that’s how it should always be. I have never been in favour of this water down competition but it was what came about due to the different circumstances that surrounded it, but I was never in favour of this water down competition. I think that two songs is a great challenge for any artiste, for any calypsonian, when you have something as significant to win a crown and become calypso monarch and win a car. It’s very important to make sure that you have the best test for the calypsonians which are two songs,” he explained.

He said based on his performance his win was a clear cut win that evening. “It was easy in terms of looking at the judging aspect of it, but in terms of me getting prepared for it and all that I went through in terms of the different controversies, the committee and all that, it was more testing in that regard but in terms of getting on the stage and performing the song, I had a lot of inspiration a lot of motivation to do so a was never difficult for me on the stage,” he added.

Despite winning, Luther B said “the competition was definitely waterdown, and it is not good for the viewing audience”.

“It’s really not good for people who come out every year to support calypso to have just a water down competition with one song. And not just that, but you have a lot of artistes who would not be up to par for the finals and that is never good for the calypso itself so I think that in that regard, yes, the show was very long, drawn out, and there were some guys who probably were not on par with being in the finals. And we really need to address that and make sure that this not happen again for calypso because we want to make sure that we have the best guys. I think a final with eight guys on stage is sufficient singing two songs and that would be great for the audience, both the viewing and listening audience,” he explained.

Regarding the car, Luther B said he is going to drive it, he is going to enjoy it.

“I am still contemplating what I am going to do with the car but of course for the first two weeks I am going to be driving it around; obviously that’s my prize so I feel great about that,” he said, adding that the committee must be applauded for having a car as a prize for the calypso monarch.

Commenting on the future, Luther B said: “Firstly, I want to see what I can do in Anguilla. I want to try and win in Anguilla. I want to perform at other events here in the BVI as well, I also want to, more importantly, start this calypso association which we are promising for a long while. We already have 10 guys who have already signed up verbally, and we will be moving forward after the festivities to start the calypso association, which will be representing not only our concerns but also looking to see how we can move forward with calypso, and see if we can get some youngsters, get more ladies involved and have different competitions throughout the year in tents so that we can bring calypso back to where it belong.”

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