Dezral’s second consecutive Calypso Monarch win at Saturday’s National Finals carried none of the controversy that marred his 2024 triumph, even though it played out before a noticeably smaller crowd at The Sab.
Unlike last year’s divisive outcome, which sparked audience protests over alleged judging bias, the 2025 competition saw broader acceptance of Dezral’s victory, even as debate simmered over lower placements.
His nostalgic anthem Kaiso GOAT, featuring legends, his father Pep and De Ashanti, won over both judges and spectators, with a revised final verse dubbing him “the Kid” destined to inherit the crown.
Yet the thinner turnout, a stark contrast to Friday’s packed Groovy Soca Finals, fuelled theories: some blamed a slate of pro-government songs, while others pointed to Carnival’s expanding calendar.
“I attend the finals every year with my friends, and I have noticed the crowd getting smaller since the days of the Mindoo Phillip Park,” Clyde, a 50-something calypso fan, said. “But I think this is because there are now more events to choose from these days, and even the Groovy Soca competition is now attracting people like myself.”
Dezral won the $40 000 top prize ahead of the nine other competitors.
Performing at position number one was former calypso monarch Ti Carro with Recovery and Beyond Numbers. Following him were the three women finalists: 2024 National Carnival Queen Lushanne performing Crown Them and How We Love Thee, Mystic with Mental Health and Home and Menell – Victim of Society and Thou Shall Not Kill.
The rest of the order: TC Brown (Kaiso and My Choice), Educator (Drunk Cars and Great Again), Juiceman (Write the Wrong and My Government Working), Ashe (The Devil Don’t Need Horns and Unsung), Dezral (The Kaiso GOAT and The Immigrant) and Mighty Sizzler (Too Much To Live For and Her Leg Ah See).
While there appeared to be no clear winner after the first round, TC Brown, Educator and Dezral seemed in the lead, with Menell and Lushanne also contenders.
In the end, despite some strong vocal performances from the likes of Ashe, Menell, Mystic and Lushanne, it was Dezral who won over the judges.
In the final verse of Kaiso GOAT, the champion referred to himself as “the Kid” since his father Pep was the GOAT and that he was heading to the top as the future GOAT. This “new” verse found favour with the audience.
“I want to thank the fans and my team for staying with me and all the hard work they put in,” Dezral told St Lucia Times following his victory. He said he had some minor challenges with his voice in the first round, having performed the night before at the Soca Monarch Finals, which he won. “I knew I had to come back and just do my best in the second round and just give it my all.”
The crowd largely agreed he had, but differed on other placements.
Dezral’s 766-point finish narrowly edged TC Brown (764), with Lushanne (755) and Educator (742) trailing.
