Fans of V.I. Carnival enjoyed a night of music, culture and commentary at the Fort Christian Parking on Saturday night. For six hours, they were entertained by more than a dozen competitors vying for the title of St. Thomas Calypso Monarch.
In the end, the judges chose St. John artist John Gotti as the winner, crowning him as monarch for the third time. That win puts Gotti — real name Lucas Evans — in the company of V.I. Calypso legends Luis Ible, Jr., Samuel “Mighty Pat” Ferdinand, and the late Sinclair DeSilva — also known as Whadablee.
Gotti also won the title of Best Political Commentary. Perennial performer Myrel “Super T” Tonge was honored for delivering the Most Humorous song, and Emogen Creese — stage name Blackness — won double honors for Best Social Commentary and as Second Runner-up.
Hansill Buntin — also known as Ritchie Bunton — took the title of First Runner-up.
Veteran broadcaster Osbert Potter called Saturday’s monarch competition an entertaining night of music. “The calypsonians were good,” Potter said, “I think there were a lot of very good competitors but there were some that missed their lines — they bust.”
Potter, along with some of his relatives, has produced 27 contests that appear around Carnival time, but are not official Carnival competitions. This year, they staged King Among Kings, featuring international and regional stars seen Friday night at Antilles School.
Winners are picked according to a number system assigning points for lyrics, melody, and performance, although Potter said there appeared to be some confusion about points assigned for originality. “They (Tourism Department and Division of Festivals) changed the criteria where you could not sing a song in the competition that you had already sung,” he said.
The Calypso Monarch Competition capped three nights celebrating the musical genre that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1800s. Five students vied for the title of Junior Calypsonian on Thursday; King Among Kings showcased regional performers with Saturday’s event adding the finishing touch for 2026.
St. Croix Soca artists from Xpress Band provided the musical backdrop for the night’s event.
