— Sudden Else and Calypso Lilly emerged as the top winners in the Antigua Carnival 2026 Junior Calypso Competition, taking first place in the 5-12 and 13-18 age categories, respectively.

Sudden Else won the 5-12 category with the song _Friends and Family_ , while De Archer placed first runner-up with _Standing on Our Own_. Jamario secured second runner-up with _He Car in He Hand_.

Sudden Else also received the award for Best New Artist for _Friends and Family_. Princess Faith won Best Performer for _Keep De Faith_ , while Ruez was named Most Cooperative. Jamario received the People’s Choice Award, Calypso Ace was recognized as Most Punctual, De Royal Element earned the Leadership Award, and Sudden Else also collected the Most Improved award.

In the 13-18 division, Calypso Lilly captured the title with _In This Small World_. Ruez finished first runner-up with _TV in Your Hand_ , while Kaiso Kall placed second runner-up with _The Poor Man Struggle_.

Kaiso Kall also received the Best New Artist and Best Performer awards for _The Poor Man Struggle_. Little Cute was recognized as the Most Punctual participant, Ruez received the Leadership Award, and Jah Nelly earned the Most Improved award.

The competition, held at the UWI Five Islands Campus as part of Antigua Carnival 2026, showcased young calypsonians competing in two age divisions while celebrating the island’s calypso tradition. Organizers also presented a series of judged and non-judged awards recognizing performance, improvement, leadership and participation.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Sudden Else and Calypso Lilly Win Antigua Carnival 2026 Junior Calypso Competition.