According to the Carnival Music Management Committee, this increase is the Committee’s way of adding monetary value to the invaluable contributions the artists make to society.

“Across all three competitions, the same prize structure will apply. First place will receive $40,000, $30,000 for second place, $20,000 for third, $15,000 for fourth place, $10,000 for fifth, and everyone else will receive $5,000," explained Chair of the CMMC, Claude Paul.

Each genre has 9 finalists - those performing duets count as one. The CMMC will invest $405,000 in prize money for all contestants this year.

Paul adds that this movement is also an attempt to make prize monies more consistent among the genres.

“There were different levels of prizes for different shows, and as a first step, we wanted to standardise and provide reasonable prizes for the top five places. This, I think, is a tremendous boost to the art form,” he said.

The National Groovy and Power Soca Competition is scheduled for July 5, followed by the Calypso Monarch Finals the next day, both at the Sab Playing Field at Vigie.