Helon Francis dethrones Machel Montano to capture T&T 2025 Calypso Monarch

Singing “To Whom It May Be,” Helon Francis Sunday night won the Trinidad and Tobago 2025 Calypso Monarch title at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, the Trinidad capital, dethroning reigning Monarch Machel Montano.

Montano, who captured the Chutney Soca Monarch title on Saturday, placed fifth with “Bet Yah.”

According to Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Francis copped the title from 11 other contenders in winning his second crown since 2018.

“His feat was all the more impressive as the finals saw a field that included seven past monarchs, including himself,” Newsday reported.

It said “To Whom It May Be” helped Francis in edging Kurt Allen’s “The Last Bardjohn of Calypso“ by just one point.

Newsday said Allen sang “Your Turn,” “a political critique.”

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organization (TUCO), which oversees the competition, released the scores for the top six finalists. Francis topped the list with 268 points, followed by Allen with 267, Akhenaton “Yung Bredda“ Lewis with 260, Karene Asche with 259, Montano with 256, and Roderick “Chuck“ Gordon with 256.

Newsday said other contenders were Duane Ta’zyah O’Connor (seventh), Terri Lyons (eighth), Samraj “Rikki Jai“ Jaimungal (ninth), Young King champ Anthony “Squeezy Rankin“ La Fleur (10th), Rosalyn Reid Haynes (11th); and Ann Marie “Twiggy“ Parks-Kojo (12th). 

Newsday said “Yung Bredda“ was the “clear crowd favorite with his anthem-like call to action, ‘We Rise.'”

“This feels surreal,“ Francis told Newsday after winning the crown.  “This time around, it is definitely much sweeter.

“I am always confident because I write my music, and I always frame it for the people,“ added Francis, whose winning prize includes TT$700,000 (US $1 = TT$6.79) and an SUV worth over TT$300,000.

According to Newsday, Allen received TT $500,000 for second place, and Yung Bredda received TT$350,000.