– ‘Guyana Baboo’ after wildcard selection for Intl Chutney Monarch
Sixty-three-year-old Guyanese musical icon, Terry Gajraj, known for his hit song, “Guyana Baboo” is set to represent Guyana at the 30th edition of the International Chutney Monarch Competition in Trinidad on March 1, 2025.
He was chosen as the wildcard performer in the competition, and will be competing against reigning monarch, Rick Ramoutar; Trinidad’s Soca King, Machel Montano, who is a first-time contender; Neval Chatelal who is returning after a few years; and nine-time Chutney King, Rikki Jai.
Terry Gajraj
Some of the other singers slated to perform are Veekash Sahadeo, Hemlatha Dindial, and more than 20 others.
The semi-final round will feature 34 singers, who will compete for the nine spots at the finals set for Skinner Park, San Fernando.
Speaking with Guyana Times, the ‘Guyana Baboo’ stated that he is eager to compete once again on the international stage, among some of the best in the music industry.
He will be performing his newest song, “Jam Session” which is a collaboration with Mau Brothers out of Trinidad but are also based in the US.
The song was mixed and mastered by Big Rich Family in Trinidad.
“I am ready to represent Guyana 100%…I feel with my song, for its original lyrics and music, I stand a chance in winning the competition,” Gajraj stated.
He intends to bring his ‘A’ game during the competition, especially using his 50 years’ experience in the industry.
“I have over 50 years of experience in the chutney field… in 1985 I won my first chutney competition in Guyana during the Mashramani celebrations, and have since built on that to keep the Golden Arrowhead flying high. With this experience, I think, I have the leverage to do well in the competition,” he declared.
The Guyanese artiste, now living in New York, has performed around the world including London, New Zealand and the United States (US).
With his entry into the competition, he has made the headlines across the networks in the US, Trinidad and Guyana.
His song, ‘Jam Session’ has definitely been creating a stir on international and local airwaves.
However, he added that while his song is becoming popular, that alone cannot win a competition.
“To win a competition of this magnitude, especially with the return of Rikki, Neval, Chris Garcia and the introduction of Machel, it takes lots of energy, good planning and execution, and most of all, the support and sponsorship,” he noted.
Presently in the planning stage, he is exploring options to have Guyanese dancers accompany his performance and will soon reach out to several groups to discuss the possibility of this becoming a reality.
With respect to sponsorship, he stated, “to enter this competition is costly – sometimes it can run an artiste up to US$150,000 to have a perfect presentation with props, sound engineers and the whole works… as such, I will be soliciting sponsorship here (NY) and Guyana because, I am confident that I can do well,” he disclosed.
Gajraj, nevertheless, calls on the organisers to ensure a level playing field leading up to and on the evening of the competition.
“The judging must be fair and transparent… I will be the only Guyanese there among the Trinidadian contingent, and I want to be judged based on my presentation and performance. That is all I am asking, and I know for sure that my song has met their criteria for judging- it’s an original piece, no used sound tracks – and once all go well, I know this collaboration will do well,” he stated.
The singer expressed his best wishes to his fellow competitors, while adding that he is ready to wave the Golden Arrowhead at Skinner Park.
The Guyanese singer was one of the finalists at the competition back in 2011 with his entry ‘Sumatie’. And though he did not place in the final showdown, he walked away with the experience.
This time around, with the same vigour and energy, he is once again honoured to represent Guyana.
Gajraj was born in Fyrish, Corentyne Berbice and is the eldest of three siblings. He taught for several years in Guyana before migrating to the US of A.
In 1994, he wrote and recorded ‘Guyana Baboo’ expressing his love for his country, which brought him international respect and put Guyana on the music map.
To date, he has more than 30 albums under his belt and is the first Guyanese to have performed at the Bollywood Music Awards a few years back.
