ZACHARY RANSOME of Montrose Government Primary School did the beaver-trick to fend off 12 rivals to retain his crown in the Eastern Credit Union's 33rd annual primary schools calypso competition at the Eric Williams Auditorium, La Joya, St Joseph. He won the crown in 2022 and retained it in 2023, 2024 and now in 2025.
Cael Pyke of the Athenians Presecondary School placed second and Daniah Mohammed of Signal Hill Primary in Tobago came in third.
Ransome wowed the judges with his offering Twelve Months. Last year he also came second in the TUCO junior calypso monarch competition.
[caption id="attachment_1138891" align="aligncenter" width="395"] TOP CLASS: Zachary Ransome, Cael Pyke of The Athenians Presecondary School, left, and Daniah Mohammed of Signal Hill Primary School, right, who placed first, second and third respectively in the ECU's 33rd annual junior kaiso monarch competition.[/caption]
He has performed at New York's famed Apollo Theatre alongside Edwin "Crazy" Ayoung, Machel Montano, Robert "Lord Nelson" Nelson and Karene Asche. On January 26, Sunday Newsday highlighted Ransome, 11, who is TT's reigning National Junior Soca Monarch (primary schools).
While now in standard five and with his goal on securing a place at Presentation College, he is also promoting his catchy 2025 soca song, Play Ah Mas.
Newsday reported both his parents are in music, his mother a singer and his father Larry Harewood a composer for calypsonians such as Duane O’Connor, Roderick “Chucky” Gordon and Terri Lyons. Ransome began his singing journey at four-years-old, at his mother Morisha Ransome’s gig at the OWTU Hall.
Newsday spoke to several other contenders before their performances, to ask what they hoped to convey in calypso.
From St Augustine, Cael Pyke, a standard three pupil said it was his first time in calypso competition. "I have never really sung calypso in my life. This is my first time." However he said he had been singing other genres since age four. "I like Parday by Machel Montano. I like Poverty Is Hell by the Mighty Shadow."
[caption id="attachment_1138884" align="alignnone" width="1024"] T'xaiyan Exodus Unique Cain sings Can We Trust You.[/caption]
He explained his own calypso. "The title of my song is The New Backyard Jam. It is about eating healthy instead of eating junk food.
"I feel a little nervous but I know I will make it through."
Daniah Mohammed travelled with her mother from Tobago.
She told Newsday, "Today I will be singing Deh Strip We." Mohammed said her song has a message about the need for people to go back to their culture. "I have been singing for about three years in Carnival, but for longer outside of calypso."
Mohammed's mother Delaney Baynes said she herself sang calypso and gospel under the sobriquet Lady Baynes. Delaney declared her daughter's love for song, saying, "So definitely, it is something in her blood." Asked if she was nervous or not, Mohammed said, "I am cool."
[caption id="attachment_1138885" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jah'Majesty Charles of L
