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The National Women’s Action Committee (NWAC) will honour cultural icon Ella Andall at its 38th annual National Calypso Queen competition on January 21 at Queen's Hall, St Ann's.
The competition will see 18 finalists vying for the coveted title, with six of them competing for the first time and among them are also some first-time performers in the calypso tents as well.
The new competitors are Gillian Moore (Fire Tender), Lisa Roberts, Naomi Sinnette, Samantha Johnson, Sweet Esterlina and Giselle Fraser Washington out of Tobago. Washington is one of three entrants from Tobago – Roslyn Reid and Wendy Garric make up the trio.
[caption id="attachment_1057110" align="alignnone" width="720"] Kerine “Tiny” Williams-Figaro Photo courtesy Kerine Williams-Figaro. -[/caption]
Among the returning artistes are Alana Sinnette-Khan (Lady Watchman) and Singing Sonia (Sonia Francis) – who also won the NWAC National Calypso Queen competition in 1992.
A spokesman for NWAC said past winners are allowed to compete again, unlike the Young Kings competition, which is conducted by NWAC's affiliate, the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), where a winner of the Young King title, who won any other national title, is no longer allowed to participate in the competition.
Every year NWAC selects someone who has contributed to the arts for recognition at its calypso queen competition.
[caption id="attachment_1057148" align="alignnone" width="683"] Alana Sinette (Lady Watchman) -[/caption]
Andall was also honoured by NJAC in 2020 as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Trinidad and Tobago Revolution.
The chantuelle, who is of Grenadian heritage, has been performing for over four decades and has mentored many artistes who she calls her children, among them is the Young King winner of 2020, Addelon "Banjela" Braveboy.
She is a long-standing devotee of the Orisha faith who, to this day, continues to spread the message of consciousness and Africanness in her music.
Referred to as the Caribbean Queen of Song – a chantuelle supreme, a high priestess of African-Caribbean music, Andall has had hits such as Bring Down the Power, Awake, Rhythm of a People and Missing Generation.
During the early years of her career in the 70s she had hits such as Second Fiddle and Hello Africa.
[caption id="attachment_1057149" align="alignnone" width="557"] Curlissa Charles-Mapp -[/caption]
She competed in Soca Monarch in 1994, and in the Calypso Monarch finals in 1996 with Missing Generation and Rhythm of a People – which remains a popular anthem for Emancipation Day celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago.
Audiences in Europe, Africa, and throughout the Americas have witnessed her powerful performances – in theatres, concert halls, stadiums and other venues. She has performed live for world leaders and personalities such as the Dalai Lama, Winnie Mandela, inspirational writer Iyanla Vanzant, spiritual leader the Ooni of Ife, Nelson Mandela, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and shared the stage with Miriam Makeba.
This diverse artiste, who has teamed up with other artistes such as David Rudder, Andre Tanker and Black Stalin, and toured with Shorty (Ras Shorty I), was also instrumental in the rapso movement working with the Network Riddum Band alongside Lutalo Masimba (Bro Resistance).
[caption id="attachment_1057150" align="alignnone" width="683"] Meguella Simon -[/caption]
She also extended her artistic profile to theatre arts and was part of the cast for Carnival Messiah (1999, 2004, 2007). She was also the headline act in a play titled Yaa Asentewaa (2001), which toured England and Ghana.
No stranger to the NWAC competition, Andall was a contestant for a few years but has never won the title.
The finalists for Sunday's competition were selected following auditions held in December 2023, an NWAC official said.
On competition night, veteran journalist, Independent Senator and managing director of the Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies, Sunity Maharaj, will deliver opening remarks.
The NWAC official expects excellent performances from the finalists.
[caption id="attachment_1057151" align="alignnone" width="683"] Roslyn Reid -[/caption]
"The show will be fantastic. We had a beautiful rehearsal yesterday (January 14) and the standard was quite high. The newcomers are worthy," the official said.
The competition begins 4 pm.
The finalists of the NWAC National Calypso Queen competition are:-
Alana Sinnette-Khan (Lady Watchman)
Curlissa Charles-Mapp
Gillian Moore (Fire Tender)
Giselle Fraser Washington (GG)
Jerrisha Duncan-Regis
Kerine Williams-Figaro (Tiny)
Lisa Roberts
Louisa Smith
Meguella Simon
Naomi Sinnette
Queen Marion
Queen Voice
Roslyn Reid
Samantha Johnson
Singing Sonia
Sweet Esterlina
The Messenger
Wendy Garric
 
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