All hail Queen Sasha

The competition has been a launch pad for many female calypsonians who are now considered mainstays of the artform .

Past NWAC winners include the effervescent Sandra “Singing Sandra” DesVignes-Millington, Joanne “Tigress” Rowley and Karene Asche. Moses has already captured one title for the season having won this year’s Stars of Tomorrow crown .

Moses, 20, sang The Main Witness which called for greater legislation to protect witnesses. She sang in the last spot and began her winning performance with a skit in which she and a cousin witnessed a crime. When the police arrived and asked if they saw anything, the cousin says ‘no’, but Moses says she would testify .

The song gave a passionate plea to the country to look at its justice system. Second place went to Tobagonian Wendy Garrick whose call for the country to realise its full potential despite current difficulties, resonated with the audience .

Third place was taken by Kerine Williams-Figaro whose End of Days song made reference to events happening into today’s world cross-referenced by readings from the Bible .

The show began at 7.30 pm and saw welcome addresses by NWAC vice president Susan Manswell and greetings by Keon Francis, representative for Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly .

The committee honoured Emelda Lynch-Griffith, president of the National Dance Association of Trinidad and Tobago and the one of the first women of pan, Rufina Thomas-Thompson, on the night .

Morisha Ransome’s Chief Servant, singing to the life and times of Daaga, won her eight place. Terri Lyon’s piece on the Destructive Phrase which spoke to negative labels attached to dark-skinned people won her fourth place. Lyons’ performance was impacted by what appeared to be a hoarse voice. She sang that she was looking for the man who invented the phrase, “Black and Ugly.” Many of the performances had elaborate presentations and were accompanied by multimedia presentations which saw Newsday headlines spread across the screens. A special trophy was given by the Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs for the most creative calypso that emanates a message that is uplifting to the status to women in relation to contemporary issues with respect to their role in family, politics, social or economic spheres. The show ended yesterday at 12.10 am .