PARTY MONARCH COMPETITION RULES 2026

PARTY MONARCH COMPETITION RULES 2026

SWEET SOCA

In the following Rules and any amendments hereto (except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context requires) the singular includes the plural and vice versa, the masculine includes the feminine and the neuter.

1) THE NAME OF THE COMPETITION

a) The name of the competition shall be the Party Monarch Competition which comprises the Preliminary and Final stages.
b) The Sweet Soca Monarch (hereinafter referred to as the Competition) is organized and administered by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).

2) ELIGIBILITY

a) An artiste wishing to enter the Competition must be:
        i) A citizen of Barbados or legally resident in Barbados; and
        ii) 18 years or older at the date of Registration indicated at 3 (a) below.

b) If the artiste is not a citizen or legal resident of Barbados the artiste must present evidence to show he/she is actively pursuing legal residence prior to the deadline for Registration indicated at 3 (a) below.

3) REGISTRATION

a) A single artiste or a duo (hereinafter referred to as “artiste”) wishing to participate in the competition, must register by completing the NCF approved Registration Form on-line via www.ncf.bb no later than 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2026.

       I. The Competition is open to single artistes or duos only.
       II. Notwithstanding 3 (a.i) above, an artiste cannot compete as a single artiste and as part of a duo in the same competition.
      III. An artiste, whether as a single artiste or part of a duo, can register one (1) song only, for participation in the Competition.

b) An artiste may also be registered by his/her duly appointed representative, provided that the artiste complies with all the other requirements set out at 3 (a) above.

c) Artistes whose Registration Forms have not been received by the NCF by the deadline indicated at 3 (a) above shall not be eligible for participation in the Competition.

d) All Songs entered in the competition must be original (i.e. not copies or excerpts from other songs) and must not have been entered in any previous NCF-organized competition in Barbados. Where there is a complaint that a song does not conform to this requirement, the complainant may be required to produce recorded evidence to support the complaint.

e) The penalty for violation of Rule 3(d) shall be disqualification of the song from the competition.

f) The NCF will dispatch a notice to the artiste within 2 business days of the deadline for registration to advise an artiste of the receipt of his registration.

g) The song shall be at a tempo of one hundred and thirty-five (135) Beats per Minute (BPM) or less.

h) The Backing Track of the song the artiste wishes to render at the preliminaries, must be submitted with the entry form.

4) ARBITRATION

a) The NCF shall appoint an Arbiter to preside over the administration of the adjudication process of the competition and shall vest in him the authority to rule on appeals and matters in dispute or requiring clarification or settlement during the competition.

b) The Arbiter shall be the final judge to determine whether any behaviour violates standards of decency, includes obscene language or gestures, contains defamatory statements, or otherwise breaches generally accepted norms of respectful and appropriate conduct or exceeds the bounds of good taste relative to the competition. Without limiting the foregoing, conduct shall be regarded as exceeding the bounds of good taste if, in the opinion of the Arbiter, it is:

        (v) capable of promoting discrimination against or fostering intolerance or ill-feeling toward any class of persons, by reason of distinguishing characteristic such as race, religion, ethnicity, colour, social class, sex, gender, or similar attributes;
        (vi) capable of intimidating another person or likely to promote violence;
        (vii) calculated to subject another person to unreasonable ridicule, contempt or embarrassment; or
        (viii) of such a nature as is likely to bring the Competition or the NCF into disrepute;

c) All complaints related to the Competition must be submitted, in writing, to the Arbiter, in a sealed envelope, within seven (7) days of the Competition, addressed as follows:

The Arbiter
National Cultural Foundation
West Terrace
St. James

d) The Arbiter shall act impartially and in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and shall afford any affected participant a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

e) All decisions made by the Arbiter shall be final and binding on the competitors and the NCF, and shall not be subject to an appeal.

5) ADJUDICATION

a) A panel of judges shall be selected for the adjudication of the Competition.

b) The NCF shall determine the composition of the panel of judges and shall appoint a member of the panel to be Chief Judge.

c) The Competition shall be judged in two (2) stages – Preliminaries and Final.

d) The names of the judges for the Preliminaries shall be publicly announced before the commencement of the Preliminary stage. The names of the judges for the Final stage shall be publicly announced before the commencement of the Final stage.

e) The Chief Judge in consultation with the panel of judges shall be the final judge as to whether behaviour is indecent, obscene or in excess of the boundaries of good taste on the day of the competition.

f) The decision of the judging panel in Rule (5) (e) above, can be contested through the arbitration process as set out in Section 4.

6) STIPULATIONS

a) If a song performed contains lyrics other than those previously approved by the NCF, the artiste may be disqualified from the competition, if it is shown that the song is not in good taste or may be in breach of any relevant law.

b) Where the NCF has informed an artiste that his or her lyrics, in full or in part, may be construed as being in contravention of the Laws of Barbados and directs that artiste to replace those offending words with suitably acceptable words in accordance with the Laws of Barbados and that artiste wilfully performs the offending lyrics or a variation that is substantially similar during any judging stage of the Competition, that artiste may be immediately disqualified from further participation in the competition and may be subject to all legal costs incurred by the NCF in responding to or defending any actions brought against it as organizers of the competition. The artiste may also be prevented from future participation in NCF-produced competitions for a period not in excess of five (5) years.

c) An artiste shall be held accountable for the actions of those individuals whom he brings on stage during the Competition, including supporting acts.

d) If, during the Competition, an artiste or any of his supporting acts makes any gesture or action that exceeds the bounds of good taste, the song may be disqualified from the Competition.

7) MUSICAL BAND

a. The NCF shall select a musical band to accompany all artistes at the Final stage of the Competition and arrangements shall be made for the artiste to rehearse at least twice with the selected band prior to the staging of the Final.

b. Subject to approval by the NCF, an artiste may be allowed to augment the Band at the Final Stage, at the additional expense of the artiste, by adding instrumentation and/or background vocalists not provided by the NCF at a maximum of six (6) persons in total. This request shall be made in writing to the NCF within one (1) week of the announcement of the artiste’s advancement to the Final stages. There must be at least one (1) rehearsal with the augmented Band.

c. Each artiste selected to compete at the Finals shall provide scores for the song to be performed to the designated NCF officer as follows:
 Trumpet         4 copies
 Trombone      3 copies
 Tenor Sax       1 copy
 Alto Sax         2 copies
 Bass                1 copy
 Chord Chart    5 copies
 Lyrics (for backing vocalists)    4 copies
 CD or copy of Song      1 copy
 Drum Chart or Trumpet Score     1 copy
 Percussion Chart or Trumpet Score   1 copy

d. The duly appointed NCF Representative will provide all finalists with an email address to send their scores to.

e. Changes to the original scores will not be accepted after the second rehearsal of the respective artiste for the Finals.

f. Stems may be utilized at the Final stages, but shall only be accepted once the following stipulations have been observed:
            i. They do not contain lead vocals tracks.
            ii. They do not contain instrumentations that already exist in the Backing Band.

8) PRELIMINARIES 

a) The participants will be required to undergo a process of judging by a chosen judging panel at the preliminary stage in order to advance to the final stage of the competition.

b) Each participant will present one live rendition of their song. The contestant will be accompanied by a backing track.

c) The use of props and live backing vocals shall not be allowed at the preliminary stage of the competition.

d) The lead vocal shall not be included in any tracks used in the preliminary judging stage.

e) A violation of Rules 8 (c) or (d) shall result in a one (1) point deduction by each judge of the judging panel from the aggregate score for a maximum of seven (7) points.

f) In the Preliminary stage of the Competition, the points system to be used by the panel for judging will be as follows:
(1) Lyrics – a maximum of 30 points
(2) Performance – a maximum of 30 points
(3) Melody – a maximum of 25 points
(4) Arrangement – a maximum of 15 points

Melody – An expression of musical tones that produces a distinctive recognizable pattern in conveying the mood and feeling of the lyrics. /The way in which the tone enunciation and registers of the vocal presentation create a rhythmic pattern that complements the lyrics.

Lyrics- The words of the song that express the singer’s mood, feelings and thoughts in dealing with the subject.

Arrangement- The adaptation of a song for performance through harmonization of voice and/or instruments to produce a distinct melodic phrasing and structure.

Performance- The act of transmitting the musical ideas to the audience which compels attention, stirs emotion, displays technical proficiency and stage mastery in a cohesive manner.

g) The eight (8) artistes scoring the highest points of those judged in the Preliminary stage shall be selected to compete at the Final stage of the Competition, except where there exists a tie for eighth place. In the event of a tie for eighth place, all artistes who are tied for eighth place will be invited to compete at the Final stage.

h) In addition to the eight (8) artistes chosen in 8 (g) above, one (1) artiste scoring the ninth highest points shall be selected as a Reserve except where there exists a tie for eighth place.

i) In the event that one of the artistes indicated in 8 (g) above is disqualified or by any other means unable to advance to the Final stage, then the Reserve shall compete in the Final stage.

j) All artistes must present the Draft Technical Run Sheet to the duly appointed NCF Officer/representative within one (1) week of being announced as a finalist.

9) FINAL

a) The artistes at the Final stage of the Competition (“the Finalists”) shall comprise the artistes, publicly announced to compete at the Final stage after the completion of the Preliminary stage.

b) The Reserve shall be paid an honorarium if he/she is not required to compete.

c) Each Finalist, whether as a soloist/duo shall make only one (1) appearance on stage and perform the song chosen from the Preliminary stage.

d) The Finalists or their duly appointed representatives shall assemble at the NCF’s Headquarters, West Terrace, St. James, on the date and time indicated by the NCF, to participate in a draw to determine the position in which they will appear at the Final stage.

e) The Finalists or their duly appointed representatives shall present to the designated NCF officer, on the date and time indicated by the NCF, two (2) copies of the lyrics to be vetted by the NCF’s legal counsel and one (1) full set of musical scores for the song which they will perform at the Final stage. The name of the composer shall be clearly indicated on the copies of the lyrics submitted and the musical scores shall also indicate the name(s) of the composer and arranger.

f) Upon receipt of the lyrics and musical scores of the song to be performed at the Finals, the NCF shall present each Finalist with an unsigned performance contract to perform at the Final. The Finalists shall sign and return the contracts to the designated NCF officer/representative as required within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt. A Finalist shall not be allowed to compete if he fails to return the signed contract to the designated NCF officer as required.

g) Where a contract may require editing after being issued, the updated contract will be presented to the artiste within 24 hours of the error being recognised. The artiste will have a further 48 hours to sign the contract once the new contract has been received.

h) The duly appointed legal counsel will vet each of the songs submitted and return those with lyrics considered to be defamatory or beyond the bounds of good taste to Finalists within forty eight (48) hours.

i) Where lyrics are considered defamatory or beyond the bounds of good taste, the relevant Finalist shall be required to submit the amended lyrics for review and acceptance before the commencement of the final rehearsal. Until this process is completed, the Finalist shall not be allowed to participate in rehearsals for the Finals nor shall the performance contract be executed by the NCF.

j) The format of the presentation will be at the discretion of the artiste. At the Final stage of the competition, however, each artiste shall be limited to ten (10) supporting persons as part of his or her presentation, excluding the band augmentation of a maximum of six (6) persons including musicians and back-up vocals; and four (4) production/technical passes. However, only eight (8) supporting persons can appear with the artiste on stage at any given time.

k) Should an artiste fail to observe Rule 9 (j) a designated NCF officer shall inform the Legal Representative and Chief Judge of the breach immediately after his performance has ended.

l) The penalty for violation of Rule 9 (j) shall be a deduction of one (1) point by each Judge for every person in excess of the number permitted, up to a maximum of five (5) points per judge. The designated NCF officer shall present to the artiste or his duly appointed representative notification of the violation verbally and then in writing within forty-eight (48) hours after the occurrence.

m) A total of four (4) minutes shall be allotted for presentations preceding each performance from the time the Master of Ceremonies introduces the artiste, to the first vocal note performed by the artiste or the back-up vocalists or the first musical note played by the band; and shall include presentations at the end of the performance, when the choreography or dramatization comes to a final halt.

n) A violation of Rule 9 (m) shall result in a one (1) point deduction by each judge for every minute or part thereof over the four (4) minute limit up to a maximum of five (5) points per judge. Where a violation occurs, the designated NCF officer shall, at the end of the performance, inform the artiste or his representative verbally and then in writing within forty-eight (48) hours after the occurrence.

o) All video presentations that are to be used at the Finals must be submitted to the relevant service provider by 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Videos not presented by this deadline will not be accepted for the event.

p) All artistes must present the Final Technical Run Sheet to the duly appointed NCF Officer/representative by Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

q) The artiste shall appear and perform in the correct position as drawn. An artiste failing to comply with this rule shall perform in the position determined by the NCF and shall be penalized by the deduction of five (5) points by each judge.

r) In the Final stage of the Competition, the points system to be used by the panel for judging will be as follows:

• Performance – a maximum of 25 points
• Melody – a maximum of 25 points
• Arrangement – a maximum of 20 points
• Lyrics – a maximum of 20 points
• Presentation – a maximum of 5 points
• Crowd Response – a maximum of 5 points

The Rank System would be implemented at the Final stage and Value Points assigned to the scores of each judge as follows:

RANK VALUE (POINTS)
1st –  20
2nd –  15
3rd – 13
4th – 10
5th – 7
6th – 5
7th – 3
8th – 1

s) At the Final stage of the Competition, artistes who are sponsored shall ensure that their sponsors’ products or services do not clash with those of the sponsors of the Competition. Each artiste shall further ensure that he bears no signage on his person or on stage that refers to products or services which compete with those of the Competition’s sponsors.

t) Individuals under the age of sixteen (16) years shall not be allowed to accompany an artiste backstage at the Finals of the Competition.

u) Artistes shall not be accompanied on stage at the Finals of the Competition by individuals under the age of eighteen (18) years old.

10) GENERAL

a) The NCF shall choose the venue for the staging of the Preliminary and the Final of the Competition.

b) Artistes shall report to the NCF Stage Manager at the venues selected by the NCF for the staging of the Finals no later than two (2) hours before the scheduled start time of the event.

c) Failure to comply with this stipulation may enact rule 9 (p) above.

d) Each performance at the Final stage of the Competition shall not exceed seven (7) minutes duration and will be timed by the official time-keeper from the commencement of the first musical note played by the band or the first vocal note performed by the artiste or the back-up vocalists; and end at the last musical note played by the band or the last vocal note performed by the artiste or the back-up vocalists.

 

e) A violation of Rule 10 (d) shall result in a one (1) point deduction by each judge for every minute or part thereof over the seven (7) minute limit up to a maximum of five (5) points per judge. Where a violation occurs, the designated NCF officer shall at the end of the performance inform the artiste or his representative verbally and then in writing within forty-eight (48) hours after the occurrence.

f) With the exception of a duo, where more than one artiste appears on stage, the artiste who was named as the finalist will be the only person judged.

g) All props must be delivered to the stage management team on the date of the Technical Rehearsal. Any props not submitted by this deadline will not be allowed on stage at the Finals. Props that were modified after the Technical Rehearsal will also not be accepted. Those desirous of using props must allow for their use at the technical and dress rehearsals.

h) The raw scores of the artistes for the Preliminaries and the Rank Scores of the artistes for the Final shall be made public within twenty-one (21) days after the completion of the Competition.

i) Failure by any artiste to comply with the reasonable instructions of the designated NCF officer/external coordinator may result in his disqualification from the Competition.

j) Each artiste participating in the Final of the Competition shall be issued with an appropriate pass by the NCF to facilitate entry to the Event and to the backstage area. Artistes not displaying the correct passes shall not be allowed access backstage.

11) PROMOTION

a) The artiste agrees that should they be selected as a Finalist in the Competition, the NCF shall be entitled to use their performance or part thereof or their image or likeness in the promotion of the Competition and Crop Over generally in the subsequent years.

 

 

APPENDIX “A”

SWEET SOCA (SS) SEGMENT 2026

Registration Form Submission Deadline                   Friday, May 22
Preliminary Judging Dates                                            June 8 – 19
Announcement of SS Finalist                                      Within 24 hours of end of Preliminaries
Deadline: Submission of Scores & Lyrics                  Wednesday, July 1 at 6.00 p.m.
Rehearsal Dates for SS Final                                         Thursday, July 2 to Thursday, July 9
Technical Rehearsals (to track)                                     Thursday, July 9
Grand Rehearsal (with Band)                                         Friday, July 10
SS Final                                                                                     Sunday, July 12

PRIZES TO BE AWARDED AT THE SWEET SOCA FINALS

Sweet Soca Winner                 $100,000.00
2nd Place                                    $50,000.00
3rd Place                                     $40,000.00
4th Place                                     $20,000.00
5th to 8th Place                        $10,000.00 each

An honorarium of $2,000.00 will be paid to the Reserve in the event he/she is not required to compete at the Final.

In addition to the above, the following special prizes may also be offered:

• Best Song Writers of the Festival       Awards presented by the NCF
• First Prize   $1,000.00 Cash
• Second Prize $ 600 Cash
• Third Prize $   300 Cash
•  

Note: Please note that the songs that qualify from this Competition for the above awards will be judged against the songs that qualify for similar awards from the Pic-O-De-Crop, Junior Monarch, and Sweet Soca competitions.