RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
Amalya Burke and Cordell Hinds have emerged as the top performers in their respective age groups at the 11th edition of the More Than Just Talent (MTJT) competition, which showcased the singing, dancing and instrumental skills of young performers at the Naparima Bowl in San Fernando on Saturday.
Burke won the seven-to-12 age group, while Hinds took first place in the 13-to-19 category, as 24 contestants competed in the grand finals under the theme “Beyond the Spotlight, Be the Reason”.
Burke also won Best Dancer, while Sanarii Andrews placed second and was named Best Vocalist. Thalia Caesar placed third and received the Most Improved award.
In the older age group, Hinds also won Best Instrumentalist and Best Local Instrumental Piece. Ishana Edgar placed second and was named Best Dancer, while Jayda George of Tobago placed second and won Best Vocalist.
George was the first contestant from Tobago to participate in the competition.
Asia Tidd placed third, won Best Local Song and was named Most Improved, while Imani Archie received the Best Local Dance Piece award.
The results reflected the range of talent on display, with contestants performing across several genres and disciplines.
For programme director and producer Roy Gomez, this year’s finals were among the most difficult to judge since the competition began in 2014, with the standard of performances making it difficult to predict the winners.
“The talent on the whole, especially in the younger group, is much more diverse, in terms of all the contestants are basically on the same page,” Gomez told Guardian Media.
He said the compulsory local category in the older age group often proved decisive, requiring contestants to step outside their comfort zones and demonstrate their ability to perform Trinidad and Tobago’s music.
Gomez introduced the category in 2022, during the country’s 60th anniversary of Independence celebrations, and decided to retain it after seeing the interest it generated.
He said some contestants had never performed calypso before, making the category an opportunity for them to explore local music and develop a greater appreciation for the country’s cultural heritage.
For Gomez, however, the value of the competition extends beyond trophies and prize money.
He said the programme provides young people with a platform to discover their abilities, overcome their fears and develop the confidence to perform before an audience.
“A lot of times, it’s more fear than a lack of ability,” he said, encouraging parents to give their children opportunities to explore their talents.
“Given the opportunity, I’m sure that the stage is a way for them to start. And once they get comfortable, they grow and grow and develop.”
The importance of providing young performers with opportunities to develop their craft was also highlighted by TUCO vice-president and South Central chairman Ras Kommanda.
He welcomed the platform the competition provided for young artists to develop their stagecraft, but said he hoped promoters would place greater emphasis on local genres, including calypso, chutney and chutney soca.
Kommanda said young people needed greater support from schools, corporate sponsors and local entrepreneurs to develop their artistic abilities.
He also called for arts and culture to receive greater attention in the school curriculum, noting that the creative industries could contribute to the country’s future development, particularly as Trinidad and Tobago seeks to diversify beyond oil and gas.
For the young contestants, the experience offered an opportunity to develop their skills, express themselves and build confidence.
Anaya Boodram, a Form One student of Naparima Girls High School, said performing had helped her overcome her shyness and become more comfortable expressing herself.
“I’m really proud of myself because without this, I don’t think I would have ever been this brave. I would have been such a shy child, even going into Form One,” she said.
She also described singing as an emotional outlet, explaining that it helped her cope when she felt sad or overwhelmed by schoolwork.
Another young performer, Sophia Dass, said she used dance to explore a difficult subject through her contemporary piece, “When Home Isn’t Home”.
She said the performance represented children living in homes where there was no peace because their parents were constantly fighting.
Dass, who was performing a solo for the first time in a competition, said the experience was not just about winning but also about making connections and using dance to highlight experiences faced by people around her.
She said she hoped the piece would shed light on the struggles of children living in such circumstances.
Contestants who qualified for the semi-final and grand-final rounds are eligible for selection to represent the country at the 29th World Championship of Performing Arts, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 11 to 20.
