Sangre Grande residents remember Ravi Bissambhar as a little boy singing bhajans at his family home and at school.
They loved him then, and they love him now. He still sings bhajans
at religious functions. And a rum song to win the 2010 Chutney Soca
Monarch title.
The majority of fans who contributed to the congestion of TSTT phone
lines on the night of January 30, that Saturday when 35,000 bmobile
text votes were received within four hours, were Ravi B's.
They were people who had followed this singer's career over the years and last weekend voted him Chutney Soca Monarch.
Ravi B, leader of the band 'Karma', took the crown from 11 other
finalists at Skinner Park, San Fernando and won $200,000 in cash.
Judging was done entirely by a text-to-vote system for the first time this year.
Winning the crown was sweet but now Ravi B is finding that his
winning composition, 'Ah Drinka', is leaving somewhat of a bad taste in
the mouths of some as it brings to the fore the issue of alcoholism.
The song was really written by Kelvin Kissoon, a plant attendant at
a Pt Lisas firm. The 33-year-old songwriter of Piarco wrote three songs
that made it to the grand finals of the Chutney Soca Monarch
competitions. 'Gul from India' sung by Andy Singh and Soca Elvis's 'Rum
doh bother Meh' were among the top hits of the season.
Ravi B, commenting on his winning song and performance at the
Chutney Soca Monarch event, said that the occasion demanded a song that
invited partygoers to let their hair down.
'It has a deeper meaning,' he also said, contending that 'Ah Drinka'
was all about the attitude of marriage partners towards each other.
'What was acceptable before marriage becomes a problem afterwards,' he said.
He insisted that partygoers must be drawn out of their shells with
an invitation to let loose and enjoy the merriment of the season.
'I don't want to offend anybody and as an entertainer, I play music
with the audience in mind,' he added. 'I don't want to offend anyone'.
'I am completely against drinking and driving and welcome the
breathalyser. I also belong to a family of strong women of high morals
and have been singing bhajans at religious functions every year,' he
said.
