Sweet Soca 16 Announced

The competitions have started!!

First out of the blocks is the Sweet Soca 16. The semifinalists for the Sweet Soca competition were announced at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) yesterday, June 24th, 2009.

The sixteen semifinalists and their socas (in no particular order) are:

1. All Night Til Morning - Statement.
2. Back it up - Blood.
3. Busted William - Watts.
4. Carnival Jooks - Lil Rick.
5. Come Out - Mr Dale.
6. Good Vibes - Lorenzo.
7. Hot Sun and Riddim - TC.
8. Hottie Hottie Gal - Tara Toldipp.
9. I in Dat - Mikey.
10. Keep Drinks Coming -Out Patients.
11. Move Over - Tasha.
12. Peter Pan - Peter Ram.
13. Trouble - Khiomal.
14. We Come to Party - Sir Ruel.
15. What We Do - Natahlee.
16. Wining Zone - Brett.

The competition is new but the names remain the same. In other words, there are few (but some) surprises here. The usual stakeholders whom one could pull off the top of one's head without thinking about it much, are there. Those would be Blood, Lil Rick, Nathalee, Mikey, Peter Ram, Mr. Dale and of course Khiomal.

One of the surprises is Sir Ruel. This is his first year in the "big boys" competition and the big boys tend to play rough. Although Sir Ruel is a champion from Junior Monarch I did not expect him to do this well in his first time playing in the major leagues. Good Luck Sir Ruel. (Remember your training my young padowan.)

Of the above 16, Sunflower is sweet on Statement's soca "All Night Til Morning." Or, as Statement sings it - all night til maawniiinng. To Statement I say these words which I often quote from Jack Sparrow: I want you to know that I was always rooting for you.

There were over 98 entrants for this competition, and from those these 16 were chosen. Which leaves 82 very disappointed calypsonians, or in this case, soca men and women. I would like to know who these 82 are and hear their rival socas.

Remember Sunflower's words: Many will enter. Few will be chosen.

There is always next year. According to 98.1 Barbadians will have no trouble hearing (and possibly being nauseated by) the sweet soca 16. These songs will be in heavy rotation until the final 8 are chosen. Then, I am guessing, they too will be in heavy (nauseating) rotation until the winner is chosen.

Good Luck to the Sweet Soca 16!!!

For the press release on the sweet soca 16 please got to the Crop Over 2009 website which is published by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).