BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 22nd November 2019)- With a score of 417 points Queen Independent (Karisia Willett) beat her seven competitors to secure a back to back win in the Female Calypso Show finals held on Friday 15th November 2019 at The Circus during the opening event for Sugar Mas 48.
First runner-up was Lady Destiny (daughter of King Mico from Nevis) singing ‘Me Father Send Me’ which earned her 387 points while following closely behind at second runner-up position with 386 points was Queen Kibie (older sister of Queen Independent) who sang ‘Mind You Own Business’.
Queen Diva captured the third runner-up spot with 375 points for ‘Not A Wonderful World’.
With a high energy performance of thought-provoking social commentary through music with the tune ‘Bad Man Point Of View’, Queen Independent emerged onstage in a prison outfit exhibiting a male character (KJ Willett) caught up in the judicial system for murder.
The setting for her singing artistic testimony was in a court room, appearing before a judge for final sentencing in recapping what went wrong in being brought up as a child including having a dysfunctional family.
Queen Independent in portraying the message, dressed in a jail outfit, bellowed at the beginning: “When I was young, my mommy told me when you grow up, you going be just like you Daddy! When I was small my mommy told me you got tricks and traits that remind me of you Daddy. …Daddy was a bad man used bang mommy wid he left hand, grab and hold her round ah she neck! For my mommy, daddy had no respect!…”
“Step by step I became my father’s son. Why blame me now? In his footprints I did follow,” she included also.
In addressing her mom, she sang “You never took the time to help me grow” whilst the backup vocalists sang out “Why blame me now?”
“Mommy your tears have me in shock; even you used to lime on de block! You never said ‘NO’! You never correct me!” were more lyrics that followed.
A teacher who also said “when you grow up, you going be a nobody” and “you gon end up in de cemetery” was also told about.
“Teacher, look what you helped to make me!” the acting songstress belted.
“If a community raises a child then who raises a bad man?” was a question she asked without singing it.
‘KJ Willett’ also recalled a neighbour who said to him that “community should raise a child” and a pastor who said “God takes care of every little girl and boy.”
“But community failed me and my neighbors looked blindly…”, came more lyrics.
“Wake up! It is time to put our children first or else they all would end up just like me jail cell telling a story,” was the advice given by the bawling prisoner who while sharing more tips about raising chidren in the right way also told “This is my little view! I am a bad man talking to you!”
The other four competitors were Brown Sugar (Price Of Peace), Lil Miss (Vote For Me), Lady B (Age Of Consent) and Genesis (Where).
The calypsonians were backed by the Grand Masters Band.
The reigning Calypso Monarch from Antigua and Barbuda, Queen Thalia, was the guest performer.
Queen Independent is also the reigning Senior Calypso Monarch.