MARKAILA WALCOTT is the queen of the calypso at the Blackman and Gollop Primary School.
Singing My Pet Chick, the Infants B student beat Asha Holder, Daniesha Davis and Emmanuel Sealy into second, third and fourth place, respectively, with the song which was a play on the name of the mosquito borne virus that affected several Barbadians, chikungunya.
The competition was held last Saturday in the courtyard of the Staple Grove, Christ Church school.
Performing before a panel of esteemed judges, Washbrook Bayne, Don Marshall, Crystal Cummins-Beckles, Anthea Maxwell and Sheldon Hope, as well as parents, relatives, teachers and friends the youngsters gave it their all in the annual Gems Of Blackman & Gollop Primary School Calypso Competition.
Although some members of the audience were heard asking how the “chicken song could win”, the judges gave it their approval thereby ensuring Walcott successfully defended her title.
Holder also gave a good performance, and her song Ya Better told the story of her wanting to sing soca instead of social commentary. The 11-year old loves to dance and she did just that when she sang her party song, which also has a serious side in that she advised all to “go school and learn and don’t play the fool”.
She appeared confident on stage and performed well and was rewarded the second spot.
Asha Holder gave a good performance with Ya Batter.
Davis’ song Daddy I Miss You was a tribute to her dad who died when she was six years old, and Sealy’s Errol Walton Barrow was a tribute to the ‘Father of Independence’.
Fifth-placed Emari Browne also sang about Barrow in his song Free Education.
The other contestants were Summa Sargeant, (Why Independence Makes Me So Happy), Nazia Pierre (Get On Your Knees And Pray) Kayla Payne, (Please Teacher), Gabriel Waithe (The Bajan Wuk-Up), Keasha Yearwood, (Don’t Pay Them), and Romancia Wiltshire (Sweet Calypso).
The Parkinson Memorial Secondary School’s band, under the direction of teacher Randy Eastmond, backed the youngsters while students Kayla Thorpe and Jaeesha Samuel were the backup singers. Thorpe, Samuel and musician Amber Barrow performed as did Cherish Maynard.
Coordinator of the contest, senior teacher Jacqueline Sealy, told WEEKEND BUZZ ahead of the competition that it was a way to teach the students about calypso and not to let the art form die.
“We’re hoping that next year would be even bigger,” she said. After the show on Saturday she was hopeful that with the parents’ permission most of the students would participate in this year’s Junior Monarch competition.
The MC was Antoine Williams. (Green Bananas Media)
