Eight-year-old Christian ‘Mothy’ Niles has been crowned the 2022 Junior Calypso Monarch, following in the footsteps of his father Sean ‘Sour Serpent’ Niles, who is the country’s reigning Independence and Calypso King.
Although the youngest Calypsonian in competition, Mothy,’ who is a student of the Corinth Government School, surpassed the performances of his contenders to amass a total of 237 points to win the 2022 title of the Spicemas Corporation (SMC) organised competition, which is held annually as part of the Children’s Carnival Frolic, with his rendition ‘No standards.’
“Back in the day there were standards, and then they bring in grades but I am trying to say (is that) now, the children don’t have no respect, they don’t have standards or anything so, I want them to bring back the standards,” said Mothy, as he explained the meaning behind his winning song in an interview with reporters during the event, which was held at the National Stadium last Saturday.
Thirteen-year-old Chamar ‘Little King’ Marrast, who attends the St. Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS) placed second with a rendition entitled ‘The real pandemic,’ on 230 points, while St. Joseph’s Convent Grenville student, 16-year-old Shade ‘Princess Shade’ Sylvan, placed third on 229 points, with her song: ‘Grenada I’m sorry.”
Eleven-year-old Jaden ‘JJ’ Andrew, who attends the St. Joseph’s R. C. School placed fourth with his rendition ‘Ah Cry,’ followed by 14-year-old Presentation Brothers College student Kadeem ‘King Kadeem’ Bowen in fifth, with a song called ‘Smartphone,’ while 12-year-old Lilly ‘Lilly’ Morain came in sixth with ‘Reclaim your dignity,’ and 14-year-old Shane ‘Mini Axe’ Sylvan in seventh place with his rendition ‘Unity in the World.’
Four (4) bands contested the Junior Panorama competition, with the Republic Bank Angel Harps recapturing the title on 273 points. They were followed by the New Dimension Steel Orchestra in second place with 264 points, Commancheros Steel Orchestra on 223 points, and Rainbow City Allstars on 218 points.
The day’s event commenced with a colorful mini parade in which the young revelers masqueraded from the Melville Street Fish Market to the nearby Grenada National Stadium where they continued to display their costume designs as part of the return of Carnival this year on the big stage.