The National Celebrations Committee has released the list of finalists for this year’s National Song Competition. The selection was made from over forty entries. Communications Officer for the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH, Shari Williams stated that NICH had to put together a panel comprising of seasoned musicians, some carnival enthusiasts, media personnel and other music lovers to sit down and look at vocal quality, audience appeal and categories.
The panel came up with 10 finalists in the patriotic category, 10 finalists in the carnival category and four junior entries. Finalists include Roberto Hoare “Captain Roby”, Silias Sabal, Denis Requena, Denise Castillo, Austin Waight, Joe Lawrence, Mello Player, Jim Duncan, Jamie Humes and Shanelle Sutherland – for the patriotic finalists.
For the carnival finalists there is Positive Vibes, Boss Lady, the Real McKoy, Ernestine Carballo, Berne Velasquez, Floyd Locayo, Leslie Jenkins and TR Burgess, Super G Martinez, Deena Arnold and Raquel Requena. For junior category there is Shawn Saldano, Tara Gill, Destiny Youth Singers and Anita Perez.
“This year I have to say that the panelists were very impressed with the quality of songs that were sent in and it was a very tough decision for them to short list,” stated Shari Williams to Love FM News. “People can vote, listen to their favorite song and vote at the website www.mynationalsong.bz go ahead and listen to your songs and vote for your favorite. There is a small percentage that’s going to go from audience appeal and of course this year we are going to choose a carnival road march song, this is the song people love the most and of course it has to be a carnival song.”
The concert and finals will be held on Saturday night, August 20,2011, at the Memorial Park in Belize City at 7p.m.
