Natanga Smith (Nation News) reports that, after more than four hours of competition, the Soca Royale finalists were announced by the National Cultural Foundation at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. The Crop Over Festival’s Soca Royale (which includes the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch competitions) will take place on July 24 at Bushy Park. Smith writes:

Going forward to contest Edwin Yearwood [shown above] in the Sweet Soca finals will be AC, Biggie Irie, Joaquin, Marvay, Mikey, Mistah Dale, Nikita and Peter Ram. Yannick Hooper is reserve.

The final eight for the Party Monarch are Edwin, iWeb, Leadpipe and Saddis, Lil Rick, Mikey, Mistah Dale, MR BLOOD and TC. The reserve is King Bubba.

For full article, see http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/82814/soca-royale-finalists-named

See more on Soca Royale at http://www.bushyparkbarbados.com/Soca-Royale,id-118 and http://barbados.org/whatsoninbarbados-eventdetail.php?eventKey=24253