In singing the spiritual “Blessings,” Terri Lyons, the daughter of popular Trinidadian soca legend Austin “Super Blue” Lyons, Sunday night, Feb. 15, captured the 2026 Trinidad and Tobago National Calypso Monarch.
On her way to regaining the crown she first won in 2020, Lyons dethroned defending monarch Helon Francis, who placed sixth, and 10 other contenders at the Queen’s Park Savannah during the Dimanche Gras show.
Lyons defeated at least three other erstwhile calypso monarchs, won the judges’ votes and the hearts of calypso fans, and received a sustained standing ovation when the results were announced in the wee hours of Monday morning.
As a result, Lyons took home the winning purse of TT$1 million (1TT$=US$0.16 cents) and a brand-new KGM Korando Emotion car, courtesy of Lifestyle Motors.
“Lyons was the clear favorite on the night with her spiritual song and received a lengthy standing ovation as she copped her second title in six years,” reported the Barbados-based Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“Lyons was the clear favorite on the night with her spiritual song and received a lengthy standing ovation as she copped her second title in six years,” reported the Barbados-based Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
After winning the crown, Lyons told reporters: “The emotions is (are) that this song is also a deep stem to my mum (the late singer Dionne Phillips), hence the reason why my hair is like this.
“Because she mourned, and you know, when you mourn, you can’t weave or anything in your hair,” she said.
“Because she mourned, and you know, when you mourn, you can’t weave or anything in your hair,” she said.
For Spiritual Baptists in the Caribbean, mourning is a profound, ritualized ceremony of purification involving isolation, fasting, and intense prayer to induce spiritual visions.
It is not merely grief, but a transformative process designed to deepen communication with God, foster repentance, and provide spiritual empowerment.
“So, I decided to plait my hair how she had hers when she went to mourn,” added Lyons, referring to her late mother.
“So, I decided to plait my hair how she had hers when she went to mourn,” added Lyons, referring to her late mother.
She described “Blessings” as “a prayer – bringing all religions together to pray for Trinidad.
“That is the main meaning of the song,” Lyons said. “All prayer warriors, you don’t have to be a pastor or a priest; you can be the normal John Public in order to strengthen the blessings of Trinidad and Tobago.
“Because the song is saying we are already blessed, we just need to continue strengthening our blessings,” she added.
“Because the song is saying we are already blessed, we just need to continue strengthening our blessings,” she added.
On Monday, Super Blue posted on Facebook: “Last night, at the Queen’s Park Savannah, I watched my daughter Terri Lyons give her performance for Calypso Monarch. WOW, I know her mom was watching down at her. I cry to see my daughter take over that stage with so much power. 2026 is Yours.”
This year’s National Action Cultural Committee Young King Rivaldo London placed second with “Water Thicker,” and nine-time Chutney Soca Monarch Samraj “Rikki Jai” Jaimungal took third place.
The full results are: Terri Lyons (Blessings); Rivaldo London (Water Thicker); Rikki Jai (Doh Spoil Meh Name); Yung Bredda (The Messenger); The Calypso Princess (Nobody Wins Until); Helon Francis (Doh Forget); Nicole Thomas-Clarke (Sacrifice); Ta’Zyah O’Connor (Cast Them Away); Giselle “GG” Fraser (No Village Can’t); Freetown Collective (Calypso); Kerice Pascall (No Conscience); and Roslyn Reid-Hayes (Calypso Calling Me).
