Caribbean music researcher Dr Andrew Martin said preserving calypso requires meaningful investment in young people and greater recognition of the artform’s cultural importance. On Newsco’s Observer AM, Martin said younger audiences may be embracing soca and dancehall, but calypso’s tradition of political and social commentary is not disappearing. Martin said calypsonians have traditionally occupied an important place in Caribbean society as cultural critics and that future investment should extend beyond prize money. “Because calypsonians are a person historically of high social stature (and) Caribbean cultures aren’t going to say that this is an important person. So, then it’s going to be up to everybody to show them the localised importance in culture,” Dr Martin concluded.