Caption: Chutney Soca Monarch Machel Montano with Soca Chutney Queen Reshma Ramlal and Lil Bitts. AZP News/Sue-Ann Wayow
By Sue-Ann Wayow
KING of Soca Machel Montano now has another title to add to his name – Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) 2025.
Montano was crowned winner of the CSM 30th anniversary event at Skinner Park on Sunday morning following an astounding performance on Saturday night in his first-ever CSM finals.
Coming in second place was Neval Chatelal followed by former Chutney Soca Monarch Rikki Jai.
Jai had already left the venue by the time, the results were announced just about 2 am.
Reshma Ramlal was crowned Chutney Soca Queen for her rendition of “Poowah Nah Ready” alongside Shivonne Liesl-Anne Churche stage name Lil Bitts.
The crowd was delighted with the judges’ decisions and even more elated when they got a bit of Montano performing live his soca hit for 2025 Pardy following his victory.
Montano did not fail to deliver during his performance as he shared the stage with Chutney legend Drupatee Ramgoonai despite a glitch in sound, Kesha Rebecca Harris akaLady Lava, Shiv Shakti Dancers, tassa drummers and Tan Tan and Sagaboy.
Flames of fire also spewed out from the stage to add the heat that his song “Pepper Vine” brought to the crowd.
Speaking to reporters Montano said, “I am grateful first of all for this happening the way it did… I feel so happy from inside.”
He thanked all those who supported him in the event including DJ Private Ryan who produced the track.
When asked if he would be defending the crown next year, Montano replied, “I don’t know.”
He said he really wanted to put in some work into an album he calls a Grammy album that he has been working on for years, but he said, “If I have the right song, I will be back.”
Adding that he had a lot of fun performing on the CSM stage, the star entertainer said while he did not see all the other 13 performances, he heard their songs and it was good.
“I think everybody brought their A game… I know everybody was really trying their best,” Montano said.
AZP News also spoke with Montano’s mother Elizabeth Montano who said she was very excited to be part of CSM 2025 and would have accepted the results win, lose or draw.
When Montano finished his performance, dance choreographer Susan Mohip who headed Montano’s production was overwhelmed with emotion shedding tears of relief.
She told AZP News, “This experience for me personally has been one of the most amazing moments of my life. Machel is not just a performer, he is beyond that.”
Heaping praises on him, Mohip said, “His discipline is 10 out of 10. And his work ethic, he is so articulate with what he wants and my challenge was to make sure everything he wants was done and came alive on that stage.”
Going forward, she expects to see an improvement in the performances and production of the CSM.
Also speaking with AZP News was Drupatee was said she was ecstatic to be on stage once more with Montano, as the two go back 25 years with working together in the music industry.
And she was sure he was taking the crown home.
Later today (Sunday March 9,2025) Montano will be defending his Calypso Monarch crown at the Dimanche Gras in Port of Spain.
