Finale Judges

Dr. Josephine Torrel-Brown is an educator, researcher and consultant in Arts, culture and education. She possesses a doctorate in Cultural Studies from the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), a Master of Philosophy (MPHIL) degree in Cultural Studies from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Musical Arts (The UWI). Her experience and involvement in culture encompasses performing, training, events coordination, arts analysis, and adjudication. She has adjudicated at many local and regional competitions such as the Grenada Soca Monarch, Young Kings and Young Queens Calypso Competitions and the Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival earning her role as the Chief Adjudicator of the prestigious International Soca Monarch Competition and the National Schools Soca Monarch Competition in Trinidad and Tobago.                      

Her desire to contribute to the upliftment of quality arts and culture across the globe has prompted her to create JTB Edutainment Consultancy Services, which offers a unique service that incapsulates a marriage of education and entertainment (edutainment). With the major focus on arts and culture development, training in music, arts education and adjudication of competitions are main staples JTB's mission.

Affectionately known as Mr. Blood, Anderson is one of the most talented male artistes on the Entertainment scene in Barbados. In 1985 at age 17, he was the youngest person ever to make the National Calypso Finals.  He was a founding member, lead vocalist and guitarist in one of Barbados’ and the Caribbean’s most prominent and leading party bands Square One, and has performed and toured extensively throughout the Caribbean, North and South America and Europe with hits such as De Plumber and Kitty Cat.  Anderson has made a significant contribution to the local and international music industry with the establishment of his record label Reddhead Records Inc. and recording studio ToneDef Studio. He has been recognised as an accomplished artist in the Calypso arena with several awards of excellence and major accomplishments.  Mr. Blood became Party Monarch in 2001 and the Party Monarch, Road March King and Soca Royale Champion of Barbados in 2010, as well as capturing 5 Barbados Music Awards out of 13 nominations for 2011. In 2013, he became Sweet Soca Champion and won Party Monarch and Road March  teaming up with Mikey, the other lead singer in the new dynamic soca group, of which he is also founding member, lead singer and manager - SOKA KARTEL. As an actor, Anderson has performed in several plays, “Ti-Jean and his Brothers”, “Red Carnation”,“Once upon an Island”, “Going for Love”, “Sobie”,  “Macbeth” and most recently “The Memory Of Water”.  He is also one of the Directors of SAYGE Theatre Company.  On October 9, 2014 in his third year on the board of COSCAP (Copyright Society Of Composers, Authors and Publishers), Mr. Armstrong was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. In 2016 he was first runner up in the Party Monarch and 2nd runner up in the Pic O De Crop, and in 2018 celebrating 35 years in the business, MR. BLOOD won the Pic O De De Crop Monarchy. In 2023 MR. BLOOD celebrates his 40th anniversary in entertainment. Anderson "MR BLOOD" Armstrong, writer/performer/producer/radio announcer, LEGEND & ICON…… King Of The Stage.

Michael Holgate has spent over two decades exploring the world of theatre, dance, music, film and writing. He holds a BA (Literatures in English) and an MPhil (Cultural Studies) from the University of the West Indies. He is currently the Head of the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies and also Artistic Director of The ASHE Company. His body of work includes writing, directing and choreographing Musical Theatre productions, including the multi-award winning 'Garvey The Musical'. He is also writer/director of the webisode/TV series - CHILL. Holgate Directed and co-wrote  the film, 'A Jamaica Independence Story' for Jamaica's 2021 Independence Day celebrations. He was also the Artistic Director of the 2022 and 2023 Jamaica Independence Grand Gala production held at the national stadium. He is currently a resident judge on the highly popular Musical, Reality TV show ALL TOGETHER SING for High School choirs on TVJ. Holgate's novel is entitled 'Night Of The Indigo.                 
 

Mrs. Carla W. Springer Hunte is the Manager of the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, in the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Cave Hill Campus. She holds a BSc. in Accounting degree from The UWI, Cave Hill Campus, and a Master of Arts degree in Arts Management from City University in London, England. This talented actress, producer, playwright, director, arts manager and cultural consultant has over 40 years of on and off-stage theatre and film experience throughout the Caribbean and has performed in major international cities. She has written two plays, “It’s up to Me!” on HIV/AIDS Awareness and Discrimination; and “When Men Cry” highlighting domestic abuse by women; and is a featured writer in several publications including “Voices: Monologues and Dramatic Text for Caribbean Actors”. Mrs. Springer Hunte has been a judge of the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) in Barbados for over 13 years and was recently a judge on the locally produced competition “Baje to the World”.

Nadean Rawlins’ career in entertainment started over 20 years ago as an actor and since then she has worked in various capacities in theatre, television and film. Nadean has produced and directed award winning stage plays and short films to include 'Traytown' and 'Boy, Girl & all the Rest' . Nadean is an alum of Rotterdam Producers Lab and Open Doors Producers Lab, President of Women in Film and Television (WIFT) Jamaica and is a Director on the WIFT International Board.