…to collaborate with Dil-e-Nadan, Sangeeta
On Saturday last, Bunty Singh outshone his nine rivals to be crowned Guyana’s Chutney Monarch 2020, when the competition was held at the Better Hope Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara. To date, the feelings of regaining the title after losing it to Steven Ramphal in 2019 is overwhelming.
The monarch, who recently returned from Suriname after a gig, was extremely confident in taking the crown despite him being the first to perform. His Song “She want me be she Raaja” was in the making since August of 2019 and would have been completed along with a music video in time for the competition.
After his submission to the Mash Secretariat, he posted the video on YouTube with over 200,000 views. The song was written by the talented artiste and was mixed, mastered, and produced in the BKJV Studios.
It tells of a man who remains faithful to his wife despite being hunted by a single, beautiful female he met at his grandfather’s birthday celebrations. In an interview with Guyana Times Entertainment, the newly-crowned monarch explained that ever since his performance at the competition, he was contacted by leader of the Dil-e-Nadan band out of Trinidad and Tobago for a collaboration. In addition, he was contacted by Sangeeta, who also wants to do a song together.
He noted that the competition has definitely had a positive impact on his musical career. Nevertheless, recounting the experience on competition night, Singh anticipated that Steven Ramphal was the man to beat in order to regain his title.
He noted that Ramphal over the years has brought on his A-game and he was ready to follow suit. Ramphal, in that competition, would have placed second although being warned against performing by his doctor owing to a throat ailment.
Now that the competition is over, Singh hopes to produce more music but more importantly, take as many gigs as possible with the aim of improving himself on the international front. He feels that with his own studio, he is in a better position to improve himself.
So far, he has done several collaborations with Mahendra Ramkellawan, Terry Gajraj, MC Drupee and George Nandan out of Canada, among others. The Guyanese artiste hopes to one day represent his country at the International Chutney Monarch in Trinidad.
On this note, he explained that the competition this year was of a high standard with several international artistes on the judging panel, including Adesh Samaroo and Saleem Beharry.
“I was very impressed with the judging panel, taking into consideration the past where we had just influential people who knew nothing about music. For the past years, there have been judges who are actual musicians or part of the music industry and by doing this, it encourages young artistes to compete,” he added.
The crowned Chutney monarch, however, was not too pleased with a post made by an artiste on social media. While he was upset, he insisted that the artiste is well recognised and should not have taken to social media to bring down a fellow artiste.
“Instead, that artiste should have been offering encouraging words to the young artistes for future competitions…We are one family and it does not matter who wins, I mean well for my fellow colleagues who are talented and have the potential to do better. Who knows, with some encouraging words of confidence, one might dethrone me come 2021”.
Meanwhile, he noted that without the support of a number of persons, he would not have been successful. He expressed his heartfelt thanks to Trans-Pacific Auto Sales, Survival Supermarket, Bran and Sons General Store, Shano Rice Development, Mukesh Appiah, MC Drupee, Dilip Saga and Sons General Store, Soca Raja, George Nandan, Sunni Sons and Daughters General Store, Park Square Mahaicony and Miracle Optical.
He also wished to thank the Berbice Delight Dancers and his family but more importantly, his fans and the Mash coordinator and team.
