by Roxanne ThompsonSour Serpent claims his second title; Lil Jelo wins his firstKilla B and Valene place 3rd and 4th, respectivelyCultural icons recognised for long-standing dedication to calypso landscapeThe 2026 Calypso Monarch competition at Dimanche Gras concluded with a historic tie for first place between performer Sean “Sour Serpent” Niles and Jelonie “Lil Jelo” Fleming, with both artists scoring 494 points. Last night’s tied victory caps a historic season for the Niles family, as he is the father of Christian “Moti” Niles, who captured the 2026 Junior Calypso Monarch title earlier this carnival season. Earlier this carnival season, he placed 7th in the Power Soca Monarch competition on Bacchanal Friday. At the end of the first half of the competition, hosts confirmed that 11-time Calypso Monarch Finley “Scholar” Jeffrey would not defend his crown and therefore would not compete. Carriacou’s 2024 Calypso Monarch Killa B finished 2 points behind the winners in 3rd place with 492 points, while Valene secured 4th place with 488 points.