Machel Montano has collected $250,000 and a trophy from the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) following his 11th win in the National Road March competition this year for “Pardy.”
Upon receiving his prize on Tuesday, Mr Montano emphasised the power of music and the value the title holds.
“A lot of people don’t understand and they think Road March is not a competition. Road March is not a competition. Road March is an honour and you get that from the people and according to Ainsley, it must take hard work and it must be good.”
In his address, TUCO President Ainsley King recognised the roots of the Road March competition, noting the contributions of those who came before. He added that it is not a simple title, and that consideration should be given to adding more value to it.
“This is treasure. You guys know the amount of stalwarts, the amount of great greats that had passed through. This has to be from the tamboo bamboo time, to the orchestra time coming up and to show how valuable to the people this title was, the history telling you that. So the Road March is no simple competition. It is the heart of our people.”
Montano highlighted the power of music and its impact during the Carnival season. Capturing the Road March title, he said, is like no other feeling in the world.
“Producing something that is on everybody’s lips, moving every foot during Carnival time, every waist, every hand, and you see such a unification of people, all cultures, all races, all creeds, all classes. Having a general consensus that doesn’t really happen often in life where everybody decides this is it. I’ve been through a couple of them. It was my dream to write one one day because I wanted to, you know, ‘Machel, if you have to be big, you have to take the biggest prize and you have to write a Road March.’”
Machel added that it is more than just winning a title and receiving a cheque. The experience and the feeling that the music leaves on people is something he describes as “flying.”
“We’re not just hunting to win a cheque or win a prize. We’re hunting to see people say, ‘we ready, we ready,’ and the hands going up in the air. There’s a feeling of giving people that liberation or that motivation to go on a stage and lose all inhibitions or all concerns when you cross that threshold of the ramp and you get on the stage and for that few minutes, you’re just there flying.”
