Destra, Faye-Ann in tight race for Road March

Bacchanal reigned on the streets of Port-of-Spain yesterday as masqueraders wined, waved and had a ball, as Destra Garcia’s popular soca hit, Bacchanal, blared from the majority of music trucks.
But in San Fernando, International Power Soca champion Faye-Ann Lyons-Alvarez seemed set to capture the 2009 Road March title with her song Meet SuperBlue which played repeatedly yesterday as bands crossed the three main judging points.  Read more..

Fay-Ann Lyons wins big!

Fay-ann cleans up everything!! Winner of both Groovy and Power Soca categories in the International Soca Monarch 2009.

Faye-Ann Lyons makes history as she becomes Trinidad and Tobago’s first ever female Soca Monarch.  Not only did she manage to take the crown away from husband Bunji Garlin (the 2008 defending champion), she is also the biggest winner ever in the history of the event.  Lyons goes home with three titles; Play Whe Groovy Monarch, bMobile International Soca Monarch and People Choice.  Votes were cast by text message by 15,000 viewers at home.  Lyons was the favourite of 60 per cent of all who voted.

Lyons now nearly eight months pregnant, honoured the beauty and culture of Trinidad and Tobago with her stage show.  Contestants of the 2009 Big and Beautiful pageant modeled on stage during her groovy performance of Heavy T Bumper.  She then introduced veteran Calypso and Road March Queen  Calypso Rose to the ecstatic audience.

In the power category, Faye-Ann was clearly the star of the night, being one of few artistes who were able to provoke a wild response from onlookers.  The euphoria increased exponentially when the original ruler of the soca monarch stage, her father, Austin Lyons appeared on stage during the song bearing his sobriquet; Meet Superblue. The deal was sealed when a confident Faye-Ann pointed the microphone to her belly, so ‘Junior’ could say something.

Rightly known as Fantastic Friday, Hasely Crawford Stadium was alive with the usual pyrotechnics, confetti, wining girls and mas.  Tonight, however, was different with several competitors conceding defeat before the results were announced. Toronto-based artist, Kerwin Du Bois performed a special verse in his groovy performance of 2 Days, singing “somebody else going and win tonight.” Grenadian brothers Luni Sparks and Electrify, described their experience as sabotage at least three times in their colourful performance of Clear D Way.

It was obvious to any onlooker that Trinidad was completely unfamiliar with their entry and those of most of the seeded international competitors.  One such contender, Ricky T of St. Lucia made the questionable decision to try and generate crowd response by calling for patrons to “raise your hands if you know your Soca queen is Faye-Ann.”  Those who did heed the order visibly cast their votes before the panel of judges, plus a sizeable international television audience watching live on MTV Tempo.

2009 Play Whe Groovy Soca Monarch Result
1. Faye-Ann Lyons – Heavy T Bumper
2. Shurwayne Winchester – Make It Yours
3. Benjai – Drunk Again
4. Zoelah – Wine Up On Me

2009 bMobile International Soca Monarch Results
1. Faye-Ann Lyons – Meet Superblue
2. Bunji Garlin – Clear De Road (tie)
2. Iwer George – Ready (tie)
4. Blaxx – Tusty

Source: torontolime.om