The National Soca Fraternity wishes to formally address a matter of grave concern regarding the recently concluded Soca Monarch Quarterfinals preliminaries.
On the final night of the Quarterfinals, it was publicly announced from the stage by the MC that a decision had been made by the Festivals Commission to have two artists privately judged in an enclosed and undisclosed location, in front of a private panel of judges and a private audience.
This decision was taken prior to the official judging of both Groovy and Jumpy Quarterfinals categories.
We are aware that in past years, requests from several artists to be adjudicated earlier — due to travel arrangements and other unavoidable circumstances — were declined on multiple occasions, ultimately resulting in those artists being unable to participate in their intended categories.
It is critical to note that performing in an enclosed, empty space is vastly different from performing on an open stage before a live audience, with the full technical setup including stage equipment, speakers, monitors, and crowd interaction.
These differences directly impact the sound, energy, and overall performance experience, putting the artists who followed the established protocol at a significant and unfair disadvantage.
The National Soca Fraternity, along with other participating artists, was not notified or consulted about this decision prior to the private judging.
Such a decision undermines the integrity of the competition, which is intended to provide a fair and level playing field for all contestants.
It must be emphasized that other artists who arrived late or were unable to perform on the scheduled dates were disqualified, in strict adherence to the rules.
Prior to the competition, a number-picking process was conducted, and all artists were made aware of their designated performance dates. Any previous miscommunications regarding dates were addressed and resolved well in advance.
Both artists in question were already aware of their unavailability for the scheduled dates but were still offered the opportunity to perform ahead of the preliminaries.
Following the announcement on July 2nd, the National Soca Fraternity immediately engaged the Festivals Commission and was redirected to the Judges Committee.
Both bodies indicated that the decision was taken to account for prior miscommunication.
Despite numerous efforts made between the evening of July 2nd and throughout July 3rd to express the deep concerns of the artist community, these efforts were dismissed. The response given was that, should the Fraternity not accept the decision, the results will remain unchanged.
The National Soca Fraternity made every effort to resolve this matter amicably and in good faith. However, this decision fails to respect and honor the artists who participated under the established rules and those who, in fairness, did not progress to the semifinals.
It is important to emphasize that this statement is in no way a personal attack on the two artists involved. We hold the highest respect for their talent, dedication, and contributions to the art form. Our concern lies solely with the manner in which this decision was made and executed and not the artists themselves.
We stand firmly against this unprecedented and unjust decision and call for immediate corrective action to uphold the fairness, integrity, and spirit of the Soca Monarch competition.
We remain committed to supporting and protecting the interests of all soca artists and will continue to advocate for a transparent and equitable process in all future events.
~National Soca Fraternity of Antigua & Barbuda