Terms and Condition

 

1  A. The competition is open to Soca artists worldwide.

1. There are two categories in the competition :
2. Youth Soca Champion: ages 16-25 years old

B. Ultimate Soca Champion – no age limit

C. For the Youth Soca Champion category, contestants must be between the ages of 16 – 25yrs old on February 20th, 2025. For contestants under 18 years old, you must get a parent or guardian to co-sign your contract.

D. All Soca artists wishing to participate in this competition must register online by 11:59 pm on Friday 24th, January 2025 for the walk-in auditions and video submissions (See criteria to qualify for video submissions). 

E.Contestants allow the USC organisation to use their image and likeness for promotional purposes

F.Contestants understand that this competition is also a TV show and agree to participate in and make themselves available within reason for interviews associated with the TV show aspect of the production.

General Rules:

1. One (1) song must be submitted at registration for the competition. Artists cannot change this song throughout the competition.  
2. Songs released publicly before March 1st, 2024 would not be eligible for this competition.
3.  Songs should not be offensive or promote discrimination. Songs that are considered to be slanderous, obscene, or indecent will be rejected and the relevant contestant notified for the reason for such rejection. 
4. Contestants cannot incite violence or damage property at any live performance 
5. Contestants cannot use obscene language at any live performance 
6. Judges can be changed at any stage of the competition.
7. The competition will be divided into four (4) stages:
   Auditions / Preliminaries
   Semi-Finals
   Final

Auditions: 

Contestants can audition either via walk-in auditions or video submissions once they meet the video submission criteria below

1. Video submissions are for artistes who do not reside in Trinidad and Tobago and/or for artistes who have performed in front of crowds of over 1000 people minimum (must provide video evidence of performance in front of a large crowd). Everyone else must attend walk-in auditions at SAPA on Jan 25th from 9 am. 

Judging Criteria:

Auditions:

Lyrics and Music                     20 points

Vocal Performance                 15 points  

Stage Performance                 15 points 

Total 50 points

Walk In Auditions:

Walk-in auditions Requirements:

• Sing to a track, play an instrument, or have someone else accompany you (eg guitar, or drum. The instrument must be mobile)
• If singing on a track:
  • Must bring a USB flash drive with track on it
  • The track must not have lead vocals: instrumental or backup vocals only
• If the artiste is under 18 years old, they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to sign their contract
• No props allowed
• Max 2 dancers allowed

Video Submissions (See criteria above for qualification)

Contestants grant permission for any video submitted to be used as part of the TV show

The contestant must submit  3 videos  :

1. 2-minute video (min) singing the song they are entering
2. Video of Artiste performing any song in front of a large crowd. (does not have to be the song they are entering)
3. Artiste Slate: State your artiste name, which area or country you are representing, why you are the next Ultimate Soca Champion, and introduce the name of the song you are entering. E.g. “Yo, this is Rome representing Arima, Trinidad, and I am your next Ultimate Soca Champion as I will be bringing the energy to the stage! This is my song Rum Bottle !”

Video submissions must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on Friday, January 24th, 2025.

Video Submission Requirements:

1. Duration: Video of competition song must be 2 mins (min) – 4 mins (max)
2. All other videos are 2 mins max
3. Format: Landscape (turn the phone sideways if using a phone)
4. Label the video submission (Artiste Name-Song title)

Semi-Finals and Finals General Rules:

 A resident band selected by the USC team will play for all contestants and arrangements will be made for each contestant to rehearse prior to the show.

Each artiste will be given 2 band rehearsals before the Semis and the Finals. 

Any additional instrumentalists required by the contestants would be at an additional cost to be determined by the band and paid by the contestants

Contestants must use the resident band and are not allowed to use their own band. 

1. Each contestant selected for the Semi-Finals and Finals or his/her designate must draw for their position of appearance in advance.
2. Failure to appear in your drawn position will result in disqualification from the competition.
3. Contestants will be contracted to the USC on the day of the shows (Semi-Finals/Finals) and must report to stage management at least one (1) hour prior to the start of the show.
4. Contestants must appear and perform in their correct positions as drawn prior to the competition or shall forfeit the right to compete.
5. Semi-finalists and finalists must not speak ill of the USC organization in any public forum leading up to the competition or may face disqualification.
6. All contestants will be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes for the semifinals and seven(7) minutes for the final on stage for their performances respectively. At the end of the allocated time the band will stop playing and points will be deducted from the contestant’s overall score.

Judging Criteria

Semi-Finals 

Lyrics and Music                     20 points 

Vocal Performance                 10 Points

Stage Performance                 25 points  
Presentation                            20 points
Crowd Response                     25 points

Total 100 points

 Finals

Lyrics and Music                     10 points

Vocal Performance                 10 Points

Stage Performance                 15 points  
Presentation                            25  points
Crowd Response                     20 points

Text to win                                20 points

Total 100 points

 Semi-Finals

Semi-finalists will be selected from the combination of video submissions and walk-in auditions

Finals 

There shall be fifteen (15) Finalists overall:

• 5 Youth Soca Champion Finalists
• 10 Ultimate Soca Champion Finalists

1. The Youth Soca Champion winner will not be obligated to defend their crown and is not guaranteed a spot in the next year’s final. 

If Youth Soca Champion winner wins 3 years in a row they must enter into the Ultimate category

Prizes :

7     A. Ultimate Soca Champion 

1st                $1,000,000.00

2nd               $300,000.00

3rd                $150,000.00

4th -10th          $ 50,000

1. Ultimate Soca Youth Champion 

1st                $200,000.00

2nd               $75,000.00

3rd                $40,000.00

4th & 5th         $20,000

Winner of the Ultimate Soca Champion : 

The Winner of the Ultimate Soca Champion Category must defend their crown in the following year’s competition in 2026.

The winner must make themselves available to perform at an international music festival arranged by the USC organization team. Cost of travel arrangements, accommodations, per diem, etc to be covered by the artiste. 

The winner must not speak ill of the USC organization in any public forum. 

If Winner wins the competition 3 years in a row, they will not be allowed to enter the competition for 2 years after their last win. 

All Semi-Finalists must sign an official contract between them and the USC organization to proceed into the next round. Contracts will be emailed to qualified persons.

FAILURE BY ANY COMPETITOR TO COMPLY WITH THESE RULES/REGULATIONS MAY RESULT IN HIS/HER DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE COMPETITION.