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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30TH 2013
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EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
RAMNARINE CAPTURES CHUTNEY SOCA CROWN TRINIDAD (TG) -- New 2013 Chutney Soca Monarch Raymond Ramnarine was brought to tears at Skinner Park, San Fernando, yesterday morning after the results were announced. An emotional Ramnarine, frontline singer for Dil-E-Nadan, beat 16 other competitors with his song I eh Marridin No More to take the crown. And even before Ramnarine was announced the winner, patrons began chanting his name loudly, and thunderous applause and cheers followed when he came on stage to collect his $1 million prize from Attorney General Anand Ramlogan. Singing in seventh position, Ramnarine slipped passed multiple
chutney soca monarch title holder Rikki Jai (Samraj Jaimungal) putting him at second place, and dethroned last year’s winner Kris “KI” Persad who came third. Rikki Jai took $300,000 while KI received $200,000. Ramnarine who entered the competition for the first time and also topped the semifinals at Rienzi Complex said he was shocked because he was not sure whether the text votes would go in his favour. He was clearly the people’s champion since the judges allocated 30 per cent of the points while text votes from fans made up the other 70 per cent. Ramnarine said: “Since I came here
I had my deya lighting and praying. I was back stage listening to the results and my heart was pounding so much.” As the new Chutney Soca king, Ramnarine said his goal is to elevate the culture. “I came here not thinking about the bright lights and big stage, not about the money,” he said. “I came here for one reason and now my journey has just started...I want to go out and really, really inspire the young ones and bring Indian culture to the highest level.” Saying it was about making positive difference, Ramnarine intends to go into schools to educate the youths about the culture. Continued On Page 5