BARBUDA'S FIRST CARIBANA - Antigua & Barbuda

Calypso
profile
Althea
Queen Singing Althea
Williams
Patricia Louisa Tully
Carnival in Antigua reverberates with
the calypso rhythms of steel, iron and
brass, and puts people in the mood
to fete, listen attentively to the lyrics
of most calypsos, take time to check
out the voices of the contenders,
and really try to understand why the
right attitude is also so essential,
especially in a competition. That’s
what Althea “Singing Althea” Williams
brought to the stage in 1993, an
attitude of confidence, that allowed
her to walk away with the Female
Calypso crown, on her first outing,
which was held by Queen Falcon,
who is considered as one of the best
among both genders.
No doubt some of that confidence
was a carry over from her winning the
first runner-up spot the year before
in the Village Queen pageant. It
was the time when Althea exposed
her talent to the world, and what a
wonderful breath of fresh air it was, to
listen to the young lady, a wonderful
songstress, with one of the most
beautiful, powerful and sweet calypso
voices that Antiguans and Barbudans
and others had ever heard, belting
out Singing Sandra’s song, “The War
Goes On”.
Standing in the Antigua Recreation
Ground (ARG) that night, I remember
getting goose bumps when Singing
Althea opened her mouth and
delivered the goods. Oh how she
thrilled the audience! That night, she
had definitely arrived (in my opinion
that is.) I am sure it was certainly
no surprise to those who attended
the Village Queen Show and got a
sample of what was unleashed on
competition night. She literally sang
her way into the hearts of all who
heard her that night.
Leading up to Carnival 1994,
the stage was set for a very stiff
challenge by the other female
contenders. The rivalry that year
escalated to proportions that elicited
cause for concern among calypso
lovers. However, Singing Althea
held onto the Female Calypso crown
that year, and again in 1995, before
she was dethroned by the late Sonia
“Singing Sonia” Wilkins, who clipped
her wing in 1996 and l997.
From 1998 to 2005, with the
exception of 1999 when no
competition was held, Singing Althea
was placed either second or third in
the competitions, but in 2006, she
was able to regain her crown, and is
once again at the top of her game.
The same year she won her first
Female Calypso Competition (1993)
was also the first year she entered
the Calypso Monarch Competition.
To date, she has not been successful
in securing the crown, but one of
her enduring accomplishments
thus far is that she was able to
emerge first runner-up in the 1994
competition beating Kings Short Shirt
and Swallow, two of Antigua and
Barbuda’s enduring calypso icons.
For her perseverance in the calypso
field, in 1996 she was nominated
for a “Sunshine Award” in New York,
and placed second in the Female
competition. In 1999, one of her
popular tunes, “Nice time,” written
by David Rudder, was selected
for a compilation CD in Trinidad &
Tobago called “Soca Midas.” She
was also nominated for the Sunshine
Award in three categories: Best
Political Commentary, Best Social
Commentary and Female Vocalist
of the Year. A proud Singing Althea
won the award for the Best Female
Vocalist of the Year. That
was quite an achievement and a
stamp of approval that her talent was
recognized and rewarded outside of
Antigua and Barbuda.
A well-rounded individual, Singing
Althea also has other interests.
Before her involvement with the
Village Queen pageant, she was first
runner-up at the “King and Queen
of the Forms,” contest, winning the
“Best Performing Talent” segment”
at her alma mater, the Ottos
Comprehensive School, in 1990. Not
done with pageants, she entered the
“Miss Gray’s Green” competition in
1991 and was placed first runner-up.
It was another pageant again in
2001, when Singing Althea traveled
to St. Kitts to represent Antigua and
Barbuda at the Port Management
Association of the Caribbean
Queens’ pageant. She was again a
winner when she walked away with
the crown and made us all proud.
Beside calypso competition and
pageants, Queen Singing Althea also
finds time for her lovely 7 year old
daughter, Resheeka, who is very fond
of her talented mother.
For the Golden Jubilee celebrations,
Queen Singing Althea is working
towards capturing the Monarchy from
Eddie Melo and vows to retain the
Female Calypso crown. Go Althea,
go Althea, a lot of good things are
ahead for you!
come celebrate
our
golden jubilee