Preparations underway for soca battle

THE NATIONAL CULTURAL FOUNDATION (NCF) is working with all the relevant players to ensure that Soca Royale comes of without a hitch.A key element of Soca Royale is the showdown between the winners of the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch competitions, which is being hyped as a “battle royale”.It will be the nearest soca artistes will come to a night competition this year.Coordinator Adisa Andwele said there would be an added spectacle to this third competition, which will see winners facing off under lights.This expected splendour will all be dimmed though if one person wins both competitions – as TC did last year.“Obviously they automatically get the car. There won’t be a battle royale then,” Adisa stated.With the enforcement of the requirement of a maximum 125 beats per minute for the Sweet Soca, and 126 and higher for the Party Monarch, it is impossible for the same song to win both titles.When quizzed about disappointing or short-changing fans who would have been hyped up for a clash, Adisa said: “We don’t think it would be short-changing. It would be an achievement for that person . . . . The person comes up and performs, but it would be like doing an encore. All the person is going to do is come back and do the two songs.”He further explained that unlike what happened in the past, the two winners would not be singing their songs when they are announced. What would have been their victory rendition would now be the “battle royale” for a car.Scores for the “battle royale” will be awarded by a combination of texting (30 per cent) and judging (70 per cent).