Winning 9th Road March title wasn’t easy – Vanilla
Guyanese singing sensations Vanilla and Adrian Dutchin
It is definitely not an easy feat to successfully capture any competition nine times in the face of many challenges.
Winning the Road March competition for 2023 is one feat that has Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts smiling from ear to ear, as she has again succeeded in winning the coveted title of Road March Winner for 2023.
Her Road March prowess began in 2005 with the song Queen of the Band, with which she won the title. It has since been a real roller-coaster ride for Vanilla, during which she faced three defeats, one of them being from Mahendra Ramkellawan, whose Chutney song “Dem ah watch meh” won him the Road March title.
Vanilla has become a staple in the activity, and most band leaders seek after her at Mash time.
Vanilla and Junior Soca Monarch Vinel
Many may ask what the secret to winning is. The answer is plain and simple: hard work!
Vanilla dedicates lots of time to speaking with designers and leaders of bands and becoming an interested party in all aspects of the festival. Accordingly, she enjoys rapport with them all.
This year’s victory is her most cherished since her long journey of three consecutive wins was achieved in 2023. It’s a goal she had long identified and has laboured to achieve over the past three festivals. This is her ninth win overall. Congratulations, Vanilla!
