King Young Destroyer has been crowned the 2026 Cavalier Rum Calypso Monarch, emerging victorious in one of Antigua Carnival’s premier competitions.
Dr. Solo secured the first runner-up position, while Lyrical Reds finished as second runner-up, according to the official results released by the Antigua Carnival Festivals Commission following Friday night’s competition.
Several special awards were also presented during the event. Dr. Solo received the Philbert Mason Award for Best Social Commentary, while Melypnostick earned the Most Humorous Award for the song “Tek De Money.” Dr. Paul was recognized with the Most Improved Award.
The Antigua Carnival Festivals Commission congratulated all of the calypsonians who competed, praising them for “keeping the spirit of calypso alive with powerful performances and lyrical excellence.”
The commission also thanked the performers for making the 2026 Cavalier Rum Calypso Monarch competition “another unforgettable night of Antigua Carnival.”
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Everyone already knows that the ALP aligned judges would have given that to the comrade. Am surprised that they didn’t also give comrade GB 1st runner up.
That is all you guys can writes about 15-1 done happen and it was not ALP JUDGES ITS TGE PEOPLE OF ANTIGUA BECAUSE UPP IS NOT NEEDED IN ANTIGUA LET THEM GO AND RUN BARBUDA AND BARBUDA NO WANT THEM EITHER SO ABLP AND PRIME MINISTER GASTON BROWNE LOOK OUT JAMALE PRINGLE JUMPING SHIP NEXT ELECTION ASKED JOANN DR. BENJAMIN MANSOOR SEAN BIRD NAMBA WINSTON DONA CHIA LAMIN MELFORD ANTHONY SMITH JR THE BRILLIANT KICKED LOVELL TO COOKS DUMP FOR THE 4TH TIMES DAT BUN YOU!
Wow! Come on judges, it’s 2026 and you guys still coming with this political alignment crap. Check out the top three and their background is covered with all red.
On the other hand, have to big up the man King Fiah, a true genius, with one of the best calypso voices in Wadadli. For years this King been throwing out lyrics, that have judges totally lost ” Tin Skin, Copy cat, SunGu and LunGu, Best Opposition, and one a my favorite Mr Spencer” who remembered that night with King Fiah and King Onyan? This is a calypsonian that you have to sit and listen, miss him last year.
I WATCHED THE CALYPSO SHOW LAST NIGHT UP TO THE POINT WHERE KING SHORT SHIRT AND OBSTI PERFORMED.IT IS ONE OF THE WORST CALYPSO COMPETITION I HAVE HEARD AND SEEN.THE SONGS WERE NOT GOOD AT ALL.YOUNG DESTROYER WAS THE FIRST CALYPSONIAN ON STAGE WITH HIS POLITICAL SONG AND DRESSED IN HIS FULL RED OUTFIT.THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I CAN REMEMBERED HE SANG ABOUT THE UPP AND WON THE CROWN. SO PERHAPS HE NEEDS TO SING ABOUT THE UPP EVERY YEAR AND WIN.OUR CALYPSO HAS GONE DOWN THE DRAIN OF NO RETURN.SHAME,DAMN SHAMEFUL.
Question to all.Were those names written on the checks before the competition? 🥸🥸🥸
BIG UP PATTA People. 2026 is our year. Michael FREELAND , JOEL RAYNE , POTTERS PRIMARY. CONGRATULATIONS.
Dwayne face when crowing Destroyer LMAO….
Any calypsonian could have sung a negative song about the UPP during a UPP administration and win the crown.
Now, no one dares try that during the Gaston Browne administration. So what is the outcome? We end up with a calypso show that has at least two explicitly negative calypsos about the UPP, but not one of these calypsonians DARE to sing even about the ALP or Gaston’s moustache.
This group of finalists know that they are not dealing with Baldwin Spencer. They know that this present ALP leader will done them should they dare to even sing that he drinks soda for breakfast.
How sad.
This is what our beautiful art form has come to. And not only are calypsonians walking around afraid to be creative, but people are unhappy because the calypso that we are hearing now is not the same calypso that we have come to love all these years.
The devastation of a people always starts with the destruction of their art form.
Young destroyer did not win th competition !
If anyone The first runner up should have won, over him..
Labor government take politics out of our government 🙄…so sad.
I hope mustache man is happy.
Disturbing the festivities with his boring
Speech!
Give me a personal break!
Btw…
Its carnival baby!!🥳
Young Destroyer song is just a continuum or renewal of ABLP election victory lap. It gives no balance, no opinion and no humor. For example, King Fiah sang “A Wa You Want/Brown Paper Bag”. In that song, which everyone in the country can relate, he tells the story, gives an opinion on both ABLP and UPP performance and why – no fear, no favour. That is what I know our artform to be since I was a child. Now to the judges. We expect the best song and performance to win! We also expect that, that song can be appreciated outside of Antigua! For the second or third time, you selected a song that no one outside of ABLP can stomach. So, the Monarch will lose AGAIN in Anguilla, hopefully to Ge eve. Hopefully this time you judges will try not look like a set of political tools and concentrate more on preserving our culture.