I-PA, Tamisha, Icon start Carnival season with a bang

Grantley “I-pa” Constance, Tamisha Nichols and Garret “Icon” John have all started the 2013 Carnival season with a bang.At the launch of Vincy Mas 2013, on Saturday at the Solidarity Inc Car Park, Constance was crowned the winner of the best new song calypso competition,{{more}} while Nicholls and John emerged victorious in the new song Ragga Soca and Soca competitions, respectively.

Vincent “Blakey” Cuffy retained his title as the Extempore king, after beating Linton “Sweet Sixteen” Samuel in the finals.

Zamfir “Man Zangie” Adams had to settle for third place and Noel “Defoe” Castello gave a good account of himself, as he placed second in the Calypso competition.

In the Ragga Soca competition, Icon’s “Sugar Waist” placed second, while Bernard “Mentalist” John and his song “Cherry Cake” took the third spot.

For the Soca category, “We pumpin” from Tamisha Nichols placed second, while Johnny “Johnny Rebel” Hall with his song “Mad Tension” had to settle for the second spot.

Following his win, Constance, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT expressed elation and stated that he came looking to take away a title and that is just what he did.

Constance explained that his song “Drunken Master”, was his second song from last year’s carnival, but he wasn’t picked for the finals.

“It gave me more time and is a good thing I got that more time and I got more information. So, it really came in timely for me to do this song…,” he said.

Constance, who won the Calypso Monarch title in 2006, said his main aim this year is to recapture that title.

For Icon, who won with “All we want is”, he’s looking to take his music on the international scene.

He said it’s been almost three years without performing in a competition and noted that the win gives him a great feeling.

“We just want to take Vincy on a next level internationally. We trying to do as much work that can go beyond the borders. That’s the main goal for me right now,” Icon said.

Also speaking to SEARCHLIGHT following the conclusion of the show was Tamisha Nicholls, who won with her song, “Winding Boss”.

“It’s an awesome feeling and I am honoured to win this crown tonight,” she said.

She said both of her songs were written by her husband and she is now working extremely hard to win more competitions this year.

However, while three of the winners were on hand to be crowned by Terranza Franklyn, 1st runner-up in the Miss SVG 2012 show, Vincent ‘Blakey’ Cuffy was no where to be seen when his name was called.

Some patrons were of the opinion that Cuffy did not deserve to win after he sang on the topic “Capital Punishment”, rather than “Corporal Punishment”, which was the topic he had chosen.

Later, when Blakey re-appeared at the venue, he was asked how he felt about his win. He did not answer, and seemed dazed and unable to muster a response.

Patrons were treated to a preview of this year’s mas as 10 of the Mas bands showed Vincentians their presentations for 2013.

Those bands included: Ahdrenalin Mas, Beautex International, Blondie Bird and Friends, Extreme Fanatics, High Voltage Mas Productions, Imagination, Owen Ralph and the Professionals, Melbourne Artisans, SVG Players International and Tribes Mas band.