Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 02/Jan 11:03

NACC hosts semifinal of Young Kings

As Trinidad and Tobago brings in another New Year and Carnival waits in the wings, the organisers of the annual Young Kings Calypso monarch have named their 25 semifinalists. It is the first time a semifinal is being held. The competition is one of the major events on the Carnival calendar. The National Action Cultural Committee (NACC) announced the 25 semifinalists in a media release on December 31. The committee’s chairman Embau Moheni said the decision to host a semifinal leg of the competition was due to high demand. There were over 90 entrants in the preliminary leg, he said in a phone interview on December 31. “They were chosen through auditions. Auditions were held on December 13 in Tobago, December 14 in San Fernando, December 20 at Republic Bank Exodus Pan theatre, Eastern Main Road and on December 21 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.” He said there were competitors of different ages vying for a spot but there were “quite a number of youngsters.” The NACC hopes to make the semifinal leg a permanent fixture in the competition. [caption id="attachment_1199914" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Anthony “Squeezy Rankin” La Fleur was the 2025 winner of NACC Young Kings competition. -[/caption] “This is the first time we are doing it. We did not introduce it to just cut it back out. It is intended to be continued.” He was reluctant to talk about sponsorship and prize money but said that some doors were open. He said generally this has been an area of challenge and the committee was still working on it. Moheni said they were not only pleased by the renewed interest in the competition but by the quality of the 2026 calypsoes. “We are pleased by the quality of calypsoes that came out of the auditions. The quality, this year, was exceptional. “It sends a very positive signal for the continued development of the artform.” [caption id="attachment_1199915" align="alignnone" width="809"] Second place winner of the 2025 competition Kyle “KC” Cowie was named a semifinalist for this year’s monarch. -[/caption] Anthony “Squeezy Rankin” La Fleur was the winner of the 2025 edition of the competition. His popular Justice was a crowd favourite. Freetown Collective’s Muhammad Muwakil’s Home earned him third place while Kyle “KC” Cowie’s Western Town got him second place. The 2026 semifinals will take place on January 18 at the John Cupid Carnival Village, Queen’s Park Savannah. There will be a draw for positions on January 5 at the VIP Lounge, Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah. Here’s a list of the semifinalists:- Aaron Duncan – Birth Place Aaron Sinnette – Beneath the Ashes Akeem “Preedy” Chance – Jamming Alex “Tobago Chalkie” Gift (Tobago Chalkie) – I Busy Andre Nelson – Yuh Cyah Stop D Music Anthony Julien – Cost of Living Caston Cupid – Mr Robert Ball Darwren “Pharaoh” Greenidge – Be Sharpe Devon Harris – Duck De Wuk Junior”Mr Famous” Noel – Africa Rising Kadeem Graham – A Better Way Khalen Alexander (Khalen) – Riddim Nation Kyle “KC” Cowie – Wah We Fighting For Marq Pierre – How Yuh Feeling Nicholas “Nikko Ash” Ashby – Special Assignment Niklas “St Nick” Shashie Gosine – Tribute to Calypsonians Nyol Manswell – My Prayer for Peace Oluseyi “Seyi” Moraldo-Bowen (Seyi) – We Love Soca Oscar “Oscar B” Benjamin – AI Versus Man Rivaldo London – Water Thicker Robert “Master G” Deane – Doh Put Mih Dey Ronald Brathwaite – Sweet Like Honey Sekon Alves – Topic Sheldon “Sheldon Nugget” Bullen – A Call for Peace Sherwin “Becomer” Babb – Voicemail to Mother Kamla   The post NACC hosts semifinal of Young Kings appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.