Extempo Monarch is the title awarded to the winner of an annual
extempo
Extempo (also extempo calypso) is a lyrically improvised form of calypso and is most notably practiced in Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. It consists of performers improvising in song or in rhythmic speech on a given theme before an audience ...
competition held at the
Trinidad Carnival
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. This event is well known for participants' colorful costumes and exuberant celebrations. There are numerous cultural ev ...
.
A number of contestants (in 2006 there were 8) compete in preliminary rounds. The Final consists of a head-to-head contest between the two most successful performers.
In the preliminary rounds contestants must perform improvised calypso lyrics according to the conventions of the genre on topics drawn at random from a prepared list. In the Final round the contestants improvise on the same topic.
2006 Extempo Monarch
The 2006 Final was contested by Black Sage and Sheldon John singing on the topic "Kudos To Radio Trinbago".
The winner and Extempo Monarch 2006 was Sheldon John.
Recent Extempo Monarchs
* 2007 Joseph "Lingo" Vautor-La Placeliere
* 2008 Joseph "Lingo" Vautor-La Placeliere
* 2009 Joseph "Lingo" Vautor-La Placeliere
* 2010 Winston “Gypsy” Peters
* 2011 Sheldon John
* 2012 Lady Africa (Leslie Ann Bristow)
* 2013 Lady Africa (Leslie Ann Bristow)
* 2014 Brian London
* 2015 Joseph "Lingo" Vautor-La Placeliere
* 2016 Winston “Gypsy” Peters
* 2017 Winston “Gypsy” Peters
*2018 Myron "Incredible Myron B" Bruce
*2019 Brian London
*2020 Brian London
[{{Cite web, url=https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/london-retains-extempo-title/article_ce5b624a-5448-11ea-87f1-133a01f33c02.html, title=London retains Extempo title, website=Trinidad Express Newspapers]
See also
*
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early to the mid-19th century and spread to the rest of the Caribbean Antilles and Venezuela by the mid-20th century. Its rhythms can be traced back to We ...
*
Extempo
Extempo (also extempo calypso) is a lyrically improvised form of calypso and is most notably practiced in Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. It consists of performers improvising in song or in rhythmic speech on a given theme before an audience ...
*
Trinidad Carnival
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. This event is well known for participants' colorful costumes and exuberant celebrations. There are numerous cultural ev ...
*
International Soca Monarch
International Soca Monarch is an annual soca music competition/fete event, the finals of which are held on every Carnival Friday (aka Fantastic Friday) in Trinidad and Tobago. Contestants in the event vie for two separate crowns or titles, the In ...
References
External links
Trinidad Express: coverage of 2006 competition
Trinidad and Tobago music
Trinidad and Tobago culture
Carnivals