Kymani Hector-Kalloo And Marcus McDonald Crowned 2026 Junior Soca Monarchs
Minister of Education Dr. Michael Dowlath has praised the talent and confidence displayed by students at this year’s Junior Soca Monarch competition.
Dr. Dowlath, who witnessed the event in its entirety on Tuesday, applauded all the finalists for their performances and commended the high standard of competition.
The Education Minister said, « This is a real experience, as we would have labelled it. I want to say that our Primary and Secondary participants from the preliminaries right up to the finals, they were outstanding. On the stage at SAPA they were exceptional. I want to congratulate the principals and the teachers, but the parents who came out and supported. I think we have an abundance of talent, and I want to say I am looking forward to next year. »
Winner of the Primary School category, Kymani Hector-Kalloo, said his offering was written by his mother, Kezia Hector, his producer, Nigel Lopez, and himself.
« The name of my song is Link Up, and it’s like a Carnival poem. It’s telling you about Panorama, it’s telling you about the moko jumbies, it’s telling you about linking up with your friends and having a good time. And the song is, you know, it’s like a song to free up, free up with family, friends, whoever, and just link up. »
The winner in the Secondary School category of the competition, Marcus McDonald, said his song, ‘Rampage,’ was the collaboration between master guitarist Errol Andrews, his father, and himself.
« This is the third year that I am in the Ministry of Education’s Junior Soca competition, and I would have placed second two years in a row. The first time, to my sister, and the second time, to Jalessa, and look at us now, we reach the top. I am in Lower Six, Cape Unit 1, couple Unit 2 exams, you know how it goes. I go to Presentation College, and I am blessed with the opportunity to have the teachers that will work with me. »
Amayah Wallace Aniebonam and Xhaiden Darius placed second and third respectively in the Primary School category, while Zachary Ransome and D’Ashe Saul placed second and third in the Secondary School category.
