A public dispute has erupted between reigning Soca Monarch Tian Winter and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, centered on competition rules regarding previously recorded tracks entering the annual Soca Monarch pageant. The conflict began when Browne publicly criticized competing artists for bringing older recordings into the contest, specifically calling into question the eligibility of Winter’s competing entry. During an appearance on the Browne and Browne Show, the prime minister claimed Winter’s submission was a reworked version of a track he had recorded years earlier, arguing that the competition’s core purpose is to honor new music created for the ongoing Carnival season. Browne has since pushed for an urgent revision of the contest’s rulebook to block future entries of pre-recorded material from taking the top title.
In a direct, pointed response shared publicly, Winter has pushed back against the prime minister’s criticism, stressing that every decision he made regarding his entry aligned fully with the competition’s existing rules and regulations. Winter explained that he had four older tracks eligible for entry under current guidelines, but intentionally selected the two he believed carried the greatest competitive edge for this year’s contest. “Based on the rules I saw it fit to use the songs that had more competition sting,” Winter wrote. “Be reminded that the Soca Monarch competition is governed by rules and regulations, so don’t blame me for simply using said rules and regulations.”
The back-and-forth took a sharp personal turn in the closing lines of Winter’s response, which included an apparent jab at Browne’s own dabbling in music production. In a viral closing remark, Winter wrote: “People whose music career is grounded in AI lyrics and melody should be quiet. One Love.” The controversy has sparked widespread debate among local music fans and industry stakeholders over whether the Soca Monarch rules should indeed be updated to prioritize exclusively new work, or if the existing framework allows artists flexibility that should remain intact.