As anticipation builds ahead of the 2025 Scotiabank Junior Calypso Monarch Finals, veteran journalist Emmanuel Joseph continues his weekly spotlight on standout performers from each Junior Monarch Tent session. This week, he shines a light on a seasoned young talent making her final junior appearance – Chelsea Ellis, an 18-year-old student of The Lodge School.
Performing for the last time in the junior ranks before graduating to the adult calypso stage, Miss Ellis gave a stirring performance last weekend at the Queen’s Park Steel Shed that resonated deeply with the audience.
Her song, It Starts With the Family, was a soul-piercing reflection on the roots of societal decay, grounded in family values. With conviction, she held the audience spellbound, gaining their approval as she wove together melody and message in a powerful call for accountability and introspection.
“It basically talks about how society blames the youth for their attitude and their behaviour. But really and truly, we have to look within–like, where does all of this stem from? . . . . And it starts from the family,” reasoned the young calypsonian.
Her performance signalled a clear readiness to transition to the senior calypso arena.
Consider these standout lyrics from the latter half of her first verse:
What happen to love, (dat gone out through de door),
And it’s sad because (they don’t know God no more),
We find it real convenient, to blame things that’s not relevant,
And to me it just isn’t making sense.
The chorus drives the message home with biting clarity:
When (you blaming) de Police Force,
(You blaming) de Magistrate Courts,
(You blaming) de teachers dat take a lot of de strain,
(You blaming) dem at Customs,
(You blaming) de politicians,
You even start to blame Minister Corey Layne,
(You refuse to acknowledge de truth, dat de family failing de youth,
It all starts at home, within your household,
I’m sure dat all of you would agree,
(It starts with de family).
Beyond the stage, Chelsea reveals a multi-faceted personality. A proud Christian, she is actively involved in her House of the Nazarene Church, where she sings in the choir. She’s also a dancer and plays basketball.
“Basketball is an amazing sport. I love to watch and to play,” she added.
With aspirations of becoming a secondary school art teacher, Ellis is also deeply reflective about societal issues. She believes declining moral values need urgent attention, especially among her peers, and she wants her music to inspire both youth and adults.
“I want it to be not only for adults, I want it for the children as well,” she said. “Because the way they dress, their attitude, the way that they carry on is not okay. I would like for the older generation to lessen the blaming of how the youth behave because, really and truly, it stems from you all.”
Asked what impact she expects her song to have on her peers in particular, Miss Ellis replied: “Well, I expect change . . . a very meaningful impact. I really hope that my song contributes to everyone; not only the family, but students as well.”
Miss Ellis will return to the stage this Sunday at 6 p.m. for the Scotiabank Junior Monarch Semi-Finals at The Marquee Tent at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus. (EJ)
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