Female chutney singers left out

“It is a sad day for women when judges will sit and deliberate and find not one female act that can qualify for the finals,” Ramlal said, adding that women participants spend up to $10,000 to produce a song and get ready for the competition stage.

“Yet none of the women who moved the crowds could have scored enough points,” Ramlal stated, adding that there are hundreds of negative remarks to the organisers, Southex, on social media regarding the matter.

She said singers were asked to pay $200 and fill out a form which outlined the criteria for judging. Fifteen points were awarded for vocals and ten for crowd response.

Ramlal said the men faltered in the semi-finals yet they got the nod from the judges and this, she says, is totally unfair to all the female contestants in the competition which, according to her, has denied women the right to be part of the finals.

Ramlal’s 2017 chutney soca song, “Batawo Lakari” is popular on radio. She spent a total of $10,000 to produce her song and to pay for back-up dancers, costumes, hairstyles and make-up at the semi-final round.

She said it is clear that women will never be judged fairly despite their talent and their hard work and called on promoters to come up with a parallel competition for women.

“We need change now,” she said, adding that she is fighting for herself and all women in the music industry across the board.

Ramlal said the Dindial sisters, Rasika and Hemlata, are “divas of the art” as they are in demand in many countries.

“Once these ladies hit the stage they exploded and people responded by screaming and jumping. Yet they could not make it to the finals.” She said Rawytee Ramroop has a wonderful voice and had people dancing along with her when she performed at the semi-finals at LIV Nightclub in La Romaine on Saturday night. “Asha Kamachee looked lovely and sang perfectly yet her name was never called for the finals,” said Ramlal who made it to the finals on two occasions and to the semi-finals three times.

CEO of Southex, George Singh, said the judges’ decision is final and he cannot change the fact that the women did not make enough marks to qualify for the final round.

The finals of CSM will take place on February 11 at Skinners Park in San Fernando.