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Barbadian film comes in for international acclaim

The film Barrow: Freedom Fighter from Step By Step Productions has come in for international recognition. It honours Barbados’ National Hero Errol Walton Barrow and was written and directed by Marcia Weekes.
'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin dies aged 76

Aretha Franklin, the preacher’s daughter whose powerful voice made her the long-reigning “Queen of Soul” with such hit songs as Respect and Chain of Fools, died on Thursday at the age of 76, the Associated Press reported. Franklin, who won 18 Grammys and had some 25 gold records, died at her home in Detroit, the AP said, citing a publicist for the singer. Representatives for Franklin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Aretha Franklin in hospice care, says source

Aretha Franklin is in hospice care at her home, a source close to the 76-year-old singer told CNN’s Don Lemon. Word of the “Queen of Soul” being gravely ill was first reported by Showbiz 411.
SOCIAL SCENE: Another year for Revive

It was revival time for Crop Over revellers who flocked to the upscale Cin Cin restaurant on the West Coast last Tuesday for one of the new parties on the post-Crop Over Calendar, aptly named Revive. Just a day after Grand Kadooment, New York-based organiser Jene Webster and his business partner OC Isaacs lured scores of party animals to the already popular event for the second successive year.
Bajan Leigh to grace Canadian stage

Barbadian entertainer Leigh is gearing up to hit the stage in Toronto at the NXNE Showcase during the Taste of the Danforth Festival this weekend. The annual festival celebrates Danforth's Greek heritage and is said to be one of the biggest street festivals, attracting 1.6 million visitors daily that also take in the diverse cultures found in Canada.
Small takes top award

Twice is nice. Designer Kevin Small has once again taken the Robert Weekes Award for Best Festival Designer in the Republic Bank Grand Kadooment. The young bandleader for Fifth Element brought Street Talk for his theme this year. Since he won best band for Junior Kadooment he has the most value points needed to cop the prestigious award.
Lil Rick's Mudda Sally takes Tune Of The Crop

Tune Of The Crop belongs to Lil Rick. The hitmaker can claim supremacy this year in the National Cultural Foundation’s Crop Over festival. Musically that is. Apart from the Pic-O-De-Crop competition which he didn't not enter, he has placed first (Sweet Soca), tied with himself for first second and third (Foreday Morning Jam) and now can claim the Tune Of The Crop title.

Smooth running for Grand Kadooment

06 August 2018

Like clockwork. That’s how event producer Aja has described this year’s Republic Bank Grand Kadooment. The National Cultural Foundation official told NATIONNEWS the annual Crop Over parade was about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. This was a result of how marshals... Read More

Island Mas heats up Crop Over

06 August 2018

It warm outside, and inside too. Island Mas the Breakfast Party started slowly earlier yesterday morning, but then picked up steam heading onto Noon, as revellers thronged to Balls Plantation, Christ Church. The annual event has become a staple for early morning... Read More

Ready for the road

05 August 2018

Today is the day revellers have been waiting for all year – the Republic Bank Grand Kadooment! Yesterday, many of the band houses were abuzz with activity, getting things in place for the big jump-up. Many of the mas bands left nothing to chance this year and... Read More

Bliss a top-class event

05 August 2018

Bliss Summer Edition once again pulled out all the stops to make sure patrons had a blissful experience. From the spacious venue in The Belle, St Michael to the bar setups, food stations that included a popcorn booth and dessert booth, to a shoe check-in every base... Read More

Lil Rick makes clean sweep of Jam Tune

04 August 2018

After the revelry of Foreday Morning, Lil Rick was the clear winner of the 2018 Jam Tune. Rick tied with himself for first place with the songs Mudda Sally and Ben It. Read More

Smaller crowds for Foreday Morning

04 August 2018

A noticeably low-key BL&P Foreday Morning Jam took to the streets early this morning. Apart from the Blue Box Cart band which moved off from Pelican Village just after 1 a.m., other bands moving off from BIDC car park and Queens Park only got moving at 2 a.m. Read More

Mr Blood takes calypso crown

04 August 2018

Courtesy Mount Gay Pic-O-De-Crop monarch. That is the title Mr Blood is now holding. He placed first minutes ago in the premier competition finals, beating tentmate and defending monarch iWeb who didn’t even place in the top five. Read More

Third People’s Monarch win for Mikey

03 August 2018

One. Twice. Three times. Mikey has done it again, winning the People’s Monarch three times. The 2018 Party Monarch king can now add that title to his 2018 haul. Read More

Two make song changes for finals

03 August 2018

Adrian AC Clarke and Colin Spencer have changed two of their songs in the Courtesy Mount Gay Pic-O-De-Crop Finals slated for later tonight at Kensington Oval. AC who performs first will sing Post Mortem in the first half and his Sweet Soca entry Soca You in the second... Read More

Machel still doing it like a boss

01 August 2018

Machel Montano showed why he is The Boss. When he stepped on stage at 1:55 a.m. and left at 3:25 a.m., no one could say it wasn’t money well spent. From the local acts of Lil Rick, Mikey, Hypasounds, Marzville, Nikita and others, the energy didn’t diminish. Read More

Mikey in People’s Monarch finals

31 July 2018

Mikey is into another finals. His Feting Family was just a little Too Sweet for Holla Bak. The newly crowned Party Monarch defeated his opponent 55 per cent to 45 per cent after the first semi-final voting closed last night in the Starcom Networks Flow People’s Monarch... Read More

Smokey Burke hospitalised

31 July 2018

Reports are that veteran calypsonian Smokey Burke has been hospitalised. NATIONNEWS understands that Burke, who is a finalist in this year’s Pic-O-De-Crop competition, fell ill on Sunday and had to be transported to the hospital. Read More

Lots of vibes at UV

30 July 2018

It was a whole year overdue. Ask Trinidadian soca artiste Erphaan Alves who graced the UV Vibe stage to perform his 2017 hit Overdue. Not even the early morning showers could cool down the crowd at the ninth staging of UV Vibe held in the early hours of Sunday morning... Read More

Big names for Mahalia’s Corner

30 July 2018

Each year, Mahalia’s Corner grows from strength to strength. However with each step of progress its organisers strive to ensure it stays true to its roots. The live platform was born out of a discussion between Two Mile lead singer Mahalia and band mate Andre... Read More

Battle on for People's Monarch

30 July 2018

The People have voted and it is now down to four. With all four quarter-finals decided last week in the Starcom Networks Flow People’s Monarch, the two semi-finals are Mikey vs Holla Bak and Lil Rick vs Mole and Bruce Almightee. Read More

No posing at Xhosa

30 July 2018

It is always good when you can go to a cooler fete and get live performances. Last week Wednesday night at the picturesque and lush lawns of Sugarland Gardens, St Peter, Edwin Yearwood, Peter Ram, veterans Biggie Irie and RPB, upcoming artiste Jus D, Faith Callender,... Read More

Lil Rick is new Sweet Soca monarch

30 July 2018

At 12: 40 a.m. MC Jamarr De Star announced Lil Rick to take his first Sweet Soca title. And it was a hard fought battle for the new Sweet Soca monarch who scored full points of 100. He placed third in the Party Monarch, losing his spot to new monarch Mikey. Read More

Mikey takes Party Monarch crown

30 July 2018

Mikey’s wait is over. After seven long years, he is once again Party Monarch, driving away from the MQI/98.1 The One Soca Royale at Bushy Park early this morning with a Mazda 3 valued at $79 900. In the end, the lack of a real response from the crowd was irrelevant... Read More

Tough choice in Sweet Soca

29 July 2018

The judges of the Sweet Soca competition will have a hard time deciding a winner. That’s because each of the nine contestants in the recently ended-show put on fantastic performances at Bushy Park, St Philip. Though some people have left, others are braving the... Read More

Lil Rick, Mikey ahead of competition

29 July 2018

Defending champion Lil Rick and former king Mikey have the edge in the Party Monarch competition part of the MQI/98.1 The One Soca Royale. It took some time to build here at Bushy Park, and Lil Rick finally got the crowd involved with his working of Mudda Sally.... Read More

Party Monarch kicks off

29 July 2018

Bashment Soca finalist Rhea warmed the mike for the nine competitors in the Party Monarch segment of the MQI/98.1 The One Soca Royale at Bushy Park tonight. Rhea did not perform her popular song Jiggle It, opting to go for the slower All We Need. Read More