PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Terri Lyons won the 2026 Calypso Monarch competition on Sunday night, defeating at least three other former winners as the Carnival activities enter the final two days of revelry.
Lyons, the daughter of Soca artiste, Austin Lyons, “Super Blue”, won the one million dollar (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) cash prize and a new vehicle for her performance of the song “Blessing” following up on her 2020 victory at the Dimanche Gras show at the Queen’s Park Savannah, early Monday morning.
Lyons was the clear favourite on the night with her spiritual song and received a lengthy standing ovation as she copped her second title in six years.
In second place was this year’s National Action Cultural Committee Young King Rivaldo London, who sang “Water Thicker”, while nine-time Chutney Soca Monarch Samraj “Rikki Jai” Jaimungal placed third with his tune “Doh Spoil Meh Name”.
Defending monarch Helon Francis, a crowd favourite, placed sixth with his biting political commentary “Doh Forget”. His performance hit a snag for viewers of the state-owned Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) when the audio was interrupted, forcing the television hosts to apologise later.
Meanwhile, Republic Bank Exodus Steel Orchestra defended its Panorama title, playing the Antigua-based Terrence “BJ” Marcelle musical arrangement of the song “Cyah Behave”, edging BP Renegades Steel Orchestra by a single point, 289 to 288, and the Nutrien Silver Stars a single point further back in third.
“Any win is a big win, far less a back-to-back,” Exodus manager Ainsworth Mohammed said early Sunday morning as the results were announced.
“We felt good about it, we were looking good, we were just hoping to execute well. I always tell people in Panorama that the final eight minutes on stage are everything,” he added.
The Carnival celebrations continue with the parade of costumes on Monday and the street jump-up on Tuesday, with the highlight being the Road March competition with veteran singers Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, against Aaron “Voice” St. Louis, the youngest International Soca Monarch winner, whose tune “Cyah Behave” is among the favourites.
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