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O.G. and Blue, Synergy Soca Stars
LEFT: 'O.G.' (Omarede George) and 'Blue' (Nicole Quashie)
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: January 17, 2008
Posted: January 22, 2008
It was a night of firsts as the Synergy Soca Star Finals climaxed excitingly at the Jean Pierre Complex on Thursday 17th January, 2008. The competition was so stiff that the judges could not separate 'O.G.' (Omarede George) from 'Blue' (Nicole Quashie), resulting in both of them being named the Top Synergy Soca Stars. 'Blue' is the first female to win the title, and it was also the first time their has been a tie for the top position. It is still unclear as to how the grand prize of the brand new Daihatsu Terios SUV motorcar will be shared.
This much anticipated Synergy Soca Star Finals, organised by local television station Synergy TV, is part of the televised made-for-television competition series for aspiring Soca singers. The third season finale started with a buzz of excitement as to who will be crowned the 2008 Synergy Soca Star. Fans in the crowd waved flags and banners in support of their favourite singers.
LEFT: Calvin and Rosanna of 'N-Trance'; Makeda Birmingham
and Raye 'Sugar Ray' Hamilton
Before the 2008 finalists came to the stage, several Synergy Soca Star alumni graced the stage in a pre-show segment, wowing the crowd with their Soca music. Three participants who did not make the finals, Sugar Ray, Makeda and Kevin Haynes were well-received as they warmed up the crowd with their songs. Also performing were the 2006 and 2007 runners-up, Kimba Sorzano and Keegan Taylor, who heated up the place as they belted out their offerings.
The final was formatted in two segments: the first segment required contestants to collaborate with an established Soca singer, while in the second segment, the Soca Stars had to sing their own song. This format allowed the Soca Stars to benefit from the experiences of established Soca singers with the added hype the singers brought to their performances.
Ronda Richardson and Sanell Dempster
Ronda Richardson was the first finalist; she graced the stage to sing "River" where she was soon joined by Sanell Dempster, the original singer of the song. The audience responded loudly to Ronda's performance as she showed herself to be one of the top contenders for the title. In the second round, she performed her own song "Rock Me" lighting up the Jean Pierre with a spirited performance.
Kwesi Jeffers put a lot of effort into his performance as he lined up with Kees Diffenthaller to perform "Head High" in the first round. In song he asked the audience to hold their heads up high and affirmed his belief that young people could positively change. His second round performance of his song "Loose Yourself" included fireworks, as he pulled out all the stops to capture the blue Daihatsu Terios perched to the left of the stage.
Synergy Soca Star Nicole 'Blue' Quashie
'Blue' gave an energetic first round performance as she collaborated with Fay-Ann Lyons to sing "Display". Sporting a blue Carnival costume, she and Lyons both worked the crowd into a frenzy. Blue's second round performance was equally as good, as the crowd responded enthusiastically to her song "Soca Beat".
 | | Synergy Soca Star Omarede 'O.G.' Geoge
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O.G., who was kicked out of the competition in the preliminary round, was voted back by fans who gave him over four thousand votes to bring him back into the competition. In the first round, he collaborated with Naya George to sing "Trinidad". In his second song "Roll It", he delighted the crowd with his strong vocals and his chanting ability.
Four member group 'One Circle' collaborated with Mr. Vybe to sing the popular 2007 hit song "Ting". In the second round they performed their own song "All Ah Dat". Despite being popular with the ladies, their performance did not have the desired impact on the crowd.
Another finalist, Lyon I, collaborated with veteran singer Ronnie MacIntosh to perform his classic hit "Ent" which the crowd enjoyed. As he launched into his second round performance of the song "All I Want", he thanked the audience for voting him back after he was eliminated from the semi-final round.
Hypnotiq being carried to the stage
'Hypnotiq' collaborated with Nadia Batson to render Nadia's popular song "One Island" as they were both well-received by the audience. In the second round, she came through the audience sitting on a throne, carried by four young men. Dressed in an Egyptian-themed outfit, she went on to render "Shake It Down".
When the results were announced, Kwesi Jeffers placed fourth, Ronda Richardson placed third, while O.G. and Blue tied for the top spot in the Synergy Soca Star Competition 2008. With their sterling performances, these two singers were deserving of top honours. Also performing on the night were previous Soca Star winners, Fireball (2006) and Umi Marcano (2007) as well as Peter C and Blackheart.
Synergy Soca Stars Finals 2008 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=84875
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