WHEN THE National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Pic O De Crop judges head to Sea Rocks Dome to the First Citizens Digicel Big Show tent tonight, The General will be there.
The island’s lone NCF triple-crown winner in a single year will be going after a pick to become kaiso king again.
Edwin Yearwood told Nation Online he was finally at a place where he was “comfortable enough to hit the big stage again”.
Edwin had alluded to the possibility of competing earlier in the season while on VOB’s Fireworks programme with announcer Carol Roberts.
Last time the lead singer with the band krosfyah threw his hat in the bag he sang Highway Robbery and Redemption of Me. Tonight he will perform Tax-He and Beggar. Both songs were released only last week.
Tax-He has enjoyed some airplay as has Beggar with both recording 15 000 plus and 5 000 views, respectively on YouTube after only five days.
Both songs were arranged and produced by Nicholas Brancker the man whom he teamed up with back in 1995 to win the crown for the first time.
“As you know it is always something that I wanted to do, but it just wasn’t happening. Writing and focusing on social commentary call for a different mind-set and time than when you are doing a party tune.
“That is where the challenge was for me, because my travelling schedule just would not allow it. And I just don’t go in competitions unprepared. I also don’t do anything if I cannot give of my best at this time,” he said.
When asked what was so different about this year, the five time party monarch said things simply fell into place.
“I mentioned the Tax-He idea to RPB and he loved it. He told me it’s time for me to go back in that competition. I guess you could call it perfect timing or fate. I dug deep down and stuck to the task this time. I am still travelling just as much, but certain things fell into place and so I am running with it.”
He admitted although he wrote the songs, he still was not fully certain he was going to compete.
“I only made the decision to face the Pic O De Crop judges within the last 48 hours. From the time the songs hit the airways people were asking if I was competing. But the truth is, I had to be comfortable singing both songs live having only recorded them days ago.”
As has been his Pic O De Crop style, Tax-He is a medium-paced tempo song while Beggar is a soulful thought-provoking tune.
On social media people have been welcoming him back. Here are a few of the comments:
“Welcome back to the social commentary arena, Edwin.”
“Oh, oh welcome back. Takes us back to the first time he faced the big stage.”
“Vintage Edwin Yearwood.” (TTY)
