The legendary International Soca Monarch returns for Fantastic Friday. One stage. Three categories. The world of soca.
FRI 5TH FEB • QUEEN'S PARK OVAL
YOUR STAGE. YOUR MOMENT.
ENTER THE COMPETITION.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
JANUARY 1, 2027 · 12:00 AM AST
COUNTDOWN TO REGISTRATION CLOSE
Prepare your artiste details, headshot and declarations. Enter up to three categories with one song and clean audio file for each category.
THE 2027 SHOWDOWN
THREE SOUNDS. ONE CROWN.
POWER SOCA
High-energy, high-tempo festival anthems.
GROOVY SOCA
Melodic rhythms and smooth crowd-moving sounds.
STEAM
A new category celebrating evolving soca sounds.
THE RETURN
FANTASTIC FRIDAY IS BACK.
Trinidad and Tobago is the Mecca of soca—but the sound belongs to an entire Caribbean movement. From every island to the artistes carrying soca worldwide, Fantastic Friday is where the region meets. Which island are you backing? Who has the best soca artistes? Trinidad versus the world begins here.
THE LEGACY · SINCE 1993
LEGENDS ARE MADE HERE.
Celebrate decades of extraordinary soca performers and past champions.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
FRI 1 JAN 2027 12:00 AM AST
Registration closes automatically at midnight Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2027.
01
WHO CAN ENTER
Eligible local and international artistes may enter. Employees, contractors, judges and committee members of ISM or SCORCH are ineligible.
02
SONGS & CATEGORIES
Enter up to three categories: Power Soca, Groovy Soca and Steam. Each category requires a different song title and a different verified MP3 or WAV file.
03
WHAT YOU NEED
Stage and legal name, contact information, birth date, country of representation, act type, artiste bio, headshot, qualifying release date, song credits and clean audio.
04
CONSENT & REVIEW
List at least one credited contributor per song, include an email for every lead artiste, and accept the Terms, Privacy Policy and Competition Rules.
ARTISTE REGISTRATION
ENTER NOW.
Your music. Your moment. Your chance to claim the crown.
ENTRY GUIDE
BEFORE YOU ENTER
Official entry cutoff
JANUARY 1, 2027 · 12:00 AM AST
COUNTDOWN TO REGISTRATION CLOSE
ELIGIBILITY
Open to eligible local and international artistes. Employees, contractors, judges and committee members of ISM or SCORCH are ineligible.
REQUIRED INFORMATION & FILES
Artiste and legal names, email, international phone number, birth date, country of representation, act type, biography, headshot and a clean MP3/WAV for each song, plus declarations and permissions.
REQUIRED SONG INFORMATION
Every song requires a title, release date, clean audio file and at least one completed credit with the contributor's name and role.
SONG CREDITS & CONSENT
List all credited songwriters, producers and lead artistes. Include email addresses for lead artistes. Each person’s direct consent process is pending organizer approval.
Choose one category per song. You may enter Power Soca, Groovy Soca and Steam, with a separate song and clean audio file for each category.
ENTRIES CLOSED
Registration for International Soca Monarch 2027 is now closed.
THANK YOU FOR ENTERING. GOOD LUCK!
Your entry has been securely filed with ISM.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Read the official ISM 2027 artiste entry terms and conditions without leaving the website.
PRIVACY POLICY
Read how ISM collects, uses, protects and retains registration information and media uploads.
FULL COMPETITION RULES
Read the full ISM 2027 competition rules, eligibility requirements and entry conditions.
THE SHORT VERSION
Entering is free.
Eligible songs must have been officially released after the conclusion of Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2026 (Ash Wednesday 2026) and by the official ISM 2027 submission deadline.
ISM 2027 is open to artistes worldwide, with no nationality or residency restriction.
You keep ownership of your song. We get a non-exclusive licence to use it for ISM 2027.
From the moment you submit, we can play your song and promote you as an entrant, including on SCORCH TV, radio and social media. Being featured does not mean that you have been selected.
We will never use your music to train AI.
No SCORCH company will approach you about a commercial deal until after Fantastic Friday, unless you contact us first.
You must own or control the rights to your song, and everything you tell us must be true.
These terms work alongside the Official Competition Rules. Please read both before submission of an entry.
This summary is for convenience. The full terms below are what apply.
1. WHO WE ARE AND WHAT THESE TERMS COVER
1.1 We are SCORCH Limited, company number 1348317, registered office 27 Methuen Street, Woodbrook, Trinidad (“SCORCH”, “we”, “us”). We operate the International Soca Monarch 2027 competition (“ISM 2027”) under licence .
1.2 These Entry Terms apply when you submit a song through the official ISM 2027 submission portal at www.internationalsocamonarch.com (the “Portal”).
1.3 Your agreement with us is made up of: (a) these Entry Terms; (b) Schedule A: Content Licence and Permitted Use; (c) Schedule B: Promotion and Publicity Licence; and (d) the ISM 2027 Official Competition Rules, (the “Rules”), which form part of these Entry Terms.
1.4 Our Privacy Notice explains how we use your personal information, and these terms of use govern your use of the Portal and the extent of our relationship. Both are available at www.internationalsocamonarch.com/legal.
1.5 If these Entry Terms and the Rules conflict, the Rules prevail on competition structure, eligibility, selection, judging, scoring and voting, and these Entry Terms prevail on all matters regarding rights, licences, personal information and liability.
2. KEY TERMS
In these Entry Terms:
“Act” means the solo artiste, band, group, duo or collaboration named in the Entry.
“Entrant” or “you” means the person submitting the Entry and, where the Act has more than one member, each member of the Act.
“Entry” means one song submitted through the Portal, together with the information and materials provided with it.
“Song” means both the musical composition (music and lyrics) and the sound recording entered.
“Fantastic Friday” means the ISM 2027 Final scheduled to be held on 5 February 2027.
“Top 20” means the 20 Semi-Finalists selected in each category under Rule 19.
“SCORCH Group” means SCORCH Limited and every SCORCH-affiliated company, as defined in Rule 16.
“Licence Period” means the period from submission of your Entry until 5 February 2028.
3. WHO CAN ENTER
3.1 ISM 2027 is open to artistes worldwide, with no nationality or residency restriction (Rule 9).
3.2 You may not enter if you are ISM or SCORCH personnel, including employees, contractors, consultants, ISM Music Committee members or judges, or otherwise contracted by SCORCH Limited or its subsidiaries or affiliates, or an immediate family member of any of these prohibited categories (Rule 15).
3.3 If you are signed to, distributed by, marketed by or managed by SCORCH , you may enter, but you must declare that relationship on the entry form. If you are selected for the Top 20, your SCORCH affiliation will be published (Rule 16).
3.4 If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must complete the Parent or Guardian Consent and accept these Entry Terms on your behalf. An Entry from a person under 18 without that consent is not valid (Rule 17).
3.5 If an Act has more than one member, the person submitting shall be the nominated representative and shall confirm that they are authorised to enter on behalf of every member, and that every member has read and accepts these Entry Terms.
3.6 Each Act must declare one country or territory of representation. This cannot be changed during ISM 2027 (Rule 10).
4. WHICH SONGS CAN BE ENTERED
4.1 Your Song must have been officially released after the conclusion of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2026, and by the entry deadline (Rules 12 and 14). “Officially released” means made available to the public, by or with the authority of the rights holder, on at least one major streaming or download platform. Radio play, live performance or private distribution alone does not count as release.
4.2 You must choose the category (Power, Groovy or Steam) for each Song. The ISM Music Committee may reassign your Song. If it does, you may accept the new category or withdraw the Entry (Rule 2).
4.3 Each Act may enter one Song per category, and no more than three Songs in total. No individual may appear in more than two Entries in the same category, whether solo, as a group member or as part of a collaboration (Rule 8).
4.4 A Song may be entered by only one Act (Rule 3).
4.5 By submitting, you confirm that every credited lead artiste on the released recording has agreed to the Entry. If your Entry is selected for the Top 20, each credited lead artiste must confirm their consent in writing within 5 days of our request. If any consent is not received in time, we may remove the Entry from selection and consider the next eligible Entry.
4.6 Regarding use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
The lead vocal on your Song must be performed by a real person.
Your Song must not use AI to imitate the voice or likeness of any real person without their written consent.
All usage of AI in your submissions to us must be disclosed in writing, with both the tools used and the extent of usage identified.
4.7 By entering this competition, you agree that you will not enter the Song/s for participation in any other competitions in Trinidad and Tobago until Fantastic Friday has passed.
5. HOW TO ENTER
5.1 Entry is free.
5.2 To enter, you must: (a) complete the entry form in full; (b) upload a high-quality audio file of your Song; (c) provide a link to the official release, and the Song’s ISRC where you have one; (d) upload a clean version of the Song where your Song contains explicit content (Rule 91); and (e) accept these Entry Terms and acknowledge the Entrant Privacy Notice as well as any other applicable Portal policies. .
5.3 Entries open on 13 November 2026 and close at 12:00 am Atlantic Standard Time on 1 January 2027 (Rule 13). The Portal’s clock is the official time. Late Entries will not be accepted.
5.4 Your Entry is complete only when you receive our confirmation email. Please keep your own copies of everything you submit. We are not responsible for uploads that fail or are incomplete, unless the failure is caused by us.
5.5 If any information in your Entry changes before the deadline, you must tell us at ism.submission@thescorch.com.
6. YOUR REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES TO US
By submitting an Entry, you represent that:
6.1 you own or control the rights in the Song, or have the authority of every rights holder (including any record label, distributor, publisher, co-writer, producer and featured artiste), in both the composition and the sound recording, to enter the Song and grant the licences in Schedules A and B;
6.2 any samples or interpolations in the Song are properly cleared (Rule 111);
6.3 the Song and your Entry materials do not infringe anyone’s rights, are not defamatory, and are not otherwise unlawful;
6.4 all information you give us, including the release date and credits, is true, accurate and complete;
6.5 where you give us personal information about other people (for example co-writers, producers or your manager), you are entitled to do so and have shared with them about our Entrant Privacy Notice; and
6.6 you are not bound by any agreement that prevents you from entering ISM 2027 or granting the licences in these Entry Terms.
We may ask you for evidence of any of these representations. Rights disputes are handled under Rule 112.
7. IF YOUR REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ARE BROKEN
7.1 If you break any promise in clause 6, you will compensate us for the reasonable losses, costs and claims that we suffer as a direct result, whether or not foreseeable on an indemnity basis
8. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU ENTER
8.1 Eligible Entries are reviewed by the ISM Music Committee under Rules 18 to 22. There is no live preliminary round.
8.2 We are not obliged to select any Entry. Individual scores, rankings and, as deliberations are confidential, we do not give individual feedback (Rule 21). Selection decisions can be challenged only as set out in Rules 123 to 127.
8.3 If your Entry is selected for the Top 20, we will contact you. You will need to sign further documents before the Top 20 is announced.
8.4 From submission, we may feature any Entry to promote ISM 2027, including to build anticipation about which Acts may reach the Semi-Final. Featuring an Entry does not mean it has been, or will be, selected.
9. OUR REPRESENTATIONS TO YOU
9.1 You keep ownership of your Song. These Entry Terms give us a licence only. They do not transfer ownership of any of your rights.
9.2 We will never use your Song, voice or likeness to train or develop artificial intelligence, or to create synthetic versions of your voice or music.
9.3 SCORCH will not approach you about any recording, distribution, publishing, management or other commercial arrangement until the Fantastic Friday results have been certified, unless you contact us first. This does not affect any relationship you already have with SCORCH.
9.4 We will handle your personal information as set out in our Entrant Privacy Notice.
9.5 We will take all steps within our control to duly credit your Act and Song where practical.
9.6 We will apply the Rules consistently, and manage conflicts of interest under Rules 22 and 109.
10. WITHDRAWING YOUR ENTRY
10.1 You may withdraw your Entry at any time before the Top 20 is announced, by emailing ism.submissions@thescorch.com.
10.2 Withdrawal after public voting begins is governed by Rule 72.
10.3 If you withdraw, we will stop making new uses of your Song and Publicity Materials. Content already published may remain, but we may remove it on reasonable request where practical.
11. DISQUALIFICATION
11.1 We may disqualify an Entry if: (a) it is not eligible; (b) any information provided is false or misleading; (c) you breach any representations or warranties in clause 6; (d) a rights dispute is not resolved as required by Rule 112; (e) you or your representatives breach Rule 119 (contact with judges and Committee members) or Rule 120 (conduct); or (f) you otherwise materially breach these Entry Terms.
11.2 Before we disqualify an Entry, we will tell you why and give you a reasonable opportunity to respond, unless the breach is clear from documents in our possession or control, or circumstances make this impractical.
12. OUR LIABILITY
12.1 Nothing in these Entry Terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including liability for fraud, or for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
12.2 We are not liable for direct, indirect or consequential loss, or for loss caused by events outside our reasonable control, including platform outages, internet failures or severe weather.
13. GENERAL
13.1 No employment. Entering ISM 2027 does not make you an employee, contractor, partner or agent of SCORCH.
13.2 Changes. We may amend these Entry Terms and the Rules where reasonably necessary for legal, safety, technical or operational reasons. Amendments will be published on the official ISM website and will not apply retroactively to certified results (Rule 130).
13.3 Transfer. We may transfer our rights under these Entry Terms to any successor operator of ISM 2027, with notice to you. You may not transfer yours.
13.4 Electronic acceptance. Accepting these Entry Terms online is binding. We keep a record of the version you accepted and when.
13.5 Notices. We will contact you at the email address in your Entry.
13.6 Severability. If any part of these Entry Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining terms shall continue to apply.
13.7 No waiver. If we do not enforce a term straight away, we can still enforce it later.
13.8 Entire agreement. These Entry Terms (including the Schedules and the Rules) are the whole agreement between you and us about your Entry.
13.9 Governing law. These Entry Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and its courts have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute not resolved under Rules 123 to 127 (Rule 128).
14. CONTACT
Questions about your Entry: ism.submissions@thescorch.com Privacy questions: ism.privacy@thescorch.com
SCHEDULE A: CONTENT LICENCE AND PERMITTED USE
A1. What this covers Your Song (composition and sound recording), all audio files you upload (including any clean version), lyrics, artwork and credits (together, the “Licensed Content”).
A2. The licence You grant SCORCH and its appointed broadcast and media partners a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence, for the Licence Period and solely in connection with ISM 2027, to: (a) store, copy, listen to and assess the Licensed Content, including by the ISM Music Committee, Judging Panel and competition administrators; (b) publicly perform, broadcast, livestream and make available the Song, in full or in part, on SCORCH TV, radio, SCORCH and ISM websites and social media channels, and at ISM and SCORCH events; (c) create promotional clips of up to 90 seconds, which may include ISM branding, captions, graphics and voice-over, without altering the Song itself; (d) create official ISM playlists on streaming platforms that link to the official release of the Song; and (e) use the Song in the ISM archive (see A4).
A3. What we will not do without your separate written agreement (a) Remix, re-record or edit the Song, other than creating clips under A2(c); (b) upload the sound recording to any streaming or download platform; (c) sell, commercially release or distribute the Song as a product (see also Rule 121); (d) use the Song to advertise any sponsor’s or third party’s product or service (ISM promotional content may display ISM sponsor branding); (e) license the Song to anyone outside A2; or (f) use the Song, your voice or your likeness to train or develop Artificial Intelligence, or to create synthetic voices or music.
A4. How long the licence lasts (a) The licence lasts for the Licence Period, subject to (b) and (c) below. (b) If your Entry is not selected for the Top 20: we will make no new public use of your Song after the Top 20 is announced. Content already published may remain, but we will remove it on reasonable request where practical. We will keep your files for 6 months after Fantastic Friday for audit and dispute purposes, and may then delete them thereafter. (c) Archive: for each Category Monarch and the 2nd and 3rd placed Acts, we may permanently use the Act name, Song title, artwork and a clip of up to 90 seconds in the ISM archive (“Hall of Monarchs”).
A5. Royalties There is no fee for this licence. It does not affect any royalties you are entitled to as a songwriter, publisher or performer through COTT or any other collective management organisation. We obtain our own public performance and broadcast licences from COTT.
A6. Credits We will take care to credit your work in line with the information that you submit to us wherever practical.
A7. Moral rights You consent to the clipping, captioning and branding described in A2(c). We will not use the Song in a way that is, in our view, derogatory to you or your work.
A8. Live performances Performances at the Semi-Final and Fantastic Friday are covered separately by Rule 121 and the Performer Agreement.
SCHEDULE B: PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY LICENCE
B1. What this covers Your Act name, stage names, likeness, voice, biography, photographs and artwork you supply, social media handles, country of representation, category and Song title (together, the “Publicity Materials”).
B2. The licence From submission and for the Licence Period, you grant SCORCH, and its appointed broadcast and media partners a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use the Publicity Materials to promote ISM 2027 and any derivative productions in all media. This includes: (a) featuring and teasing Entries before the Top 20 is announced; (b) tagging your social media accounts; (c) resharing, with credit, your public posts that mention ISM 2027; and (d) press materials and media briefings.
B3. Featured does not mean selected Featuring your Entry in promotion does not mean it has been, or will be, selected.
B4. No endorsements We will not use the Publicity Materials to suggest that you endorse any sponsor, product or service without your separate written agreement. ISM promotional material may display ISM sponsor branding.
B5. Entrants under 18 We will not publicly use the likeness of an entrant under 18 without their parent or guardian’s consent.
B6. Information published under the Rules The Rules require us to publish certain information, including your country of representation (Rule 10), any SCORCH affiliation if you are selected for the Top 20 (Rule 16), and results (Rule 108).
B7. Your use of ISM and SCORCH branding We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable permission to use the official ISM / SCORCH 2027 entrant toolkit to announce that you have entered, following our brand guidelines. This permission lasts until the Top 20 is announced, or, if you are selected, until the end of ISM 2027. You must not alter the ISM marks, suggest that ISM endorses you, or use the marks on merchandise or commercial products. We may withdraw this permission at any time.
B8. Non-selection or withdrawal If your Entry is not selected for the Top 20, or you withdraw it, we will make no new use of your Publicity Materials after the Top 20 is announced or you withdraw (whichever is earlier). Content already published may remain, but we will remove it on reasonable request where practical.
THE SHORT VERSION
We collect only what we need to run ISM 2027.
We never sell your personal information.
We never use your music, voice or likeness to train artificial intelligence.
Sponsors never receive your personal information unless you separately opt in.
Contestants never see who voted for them, or how much anyone spent.
We never see your card details. Payments are handled by our payment provider.
No SCORCH company will approach an entrant about a commercial deal until the Fantastic Friday results are certified, unless the entrant contacts us first.
Marketing is always optional, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
This summary is for convenience. The full terms below are what apply.
1. ABOUT THIS NOTICE
1.1 Who we are We are SCORCH Limited, company number 1348317, registered office 27 Methuen Street, Woodbrook, Trinidad (“SCORCH”, “we”, “us”). We run the International Soca Monarch 2027 competition (“ISM 2027”) under licence from the owner(s) of the International Soca Monarch brand. We decide how and why your personal information is used, which makes us the “controller” of it.
1.2 Who this notice covers This notice explains how we handle personal information about:
website visitors;
entrants, meaning people who submit songs, and the people named in entries, such as co-writers, producers, lead artistes, band, group and collaboration members, and managers;
performers, meaning Semi-Finalists and Finalists, together with their guest performers, dancers, parents, guardians and chaperones;
voters;
ticket buyers and event attendees;
[shop customers]; [confirm who runs the shop] and
viewers of ISM 2027 broadcasts and livestreams.
1.3 What this notice does not cover Some organisations we work with have their own privacy notices, which apply to the information they collect. These include our ticketing partner Islande Tickets, our payment provider, livestream platforms, broadcasters, the venue [and our shop provider] . We link to their notices where we can.
Judges, Music Committee members, Appeals Panel members, the House Band and crew receive a separate notice with their agreements.
1.4 Short notices Wherever you give us information (when you enter, vote or join as a performer), you’ll see a short summary at that point. This notice is the full version.
2. WHY WE USE A HIGH, INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
ISM 2027 is open to artistes worldwide, and fans can vote from anywhere. Trinidad and Tobago’s Data Protection Act is only partly in force, but our entrants and voters come from across the Caribbean and the diaspora, and many of their home countries have data protection laws modelled on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Rather than apply different rules depending on where you live, we apply one high standard, based on GDPR principles, to everyone. Wherever you are, you get the same protections and the same rights.
3. WHAT WE COLLECT, WHY, AND OUR LEGAL BASIS
We only use your information where we have a lawful reason. In plain terms, that means:
Our agreement with you: we need the information to run your entry, performance or vote.
Legitimate interests: we need it to run a fair competition, prevent fraud, keep events safe and promote ISM 2027, and this doesn’t override your rights.
Legal obligation: the law requires it (for example, tax and financial records).
Consent: you have agreed, and you can withdraw that agreement at any time (for example, marketing, or health information).
3.1 Website visitors
What we collect
Why
Legal basis
IP address, device and browser type, pages visited, essential cookies
To run and secure the website
Legitimate interests
Analytics cookies
To understand how the site is used
Consent (see section 13)
3.2 Entrants
What we collect
Why
Legal basis
Artiste or stage name, legal name, email, contact number
To identify and contact you
Our agreement with you
Date of birth
To identify entrants under 18, who need guardian consent
Our agreement with you; legal obligation
Country of representation (Rule 10) and country of residence
To meet the Rules, and to plan logistics if you’re selected
Our agreement with you
Entry type (solo, band, group, duo, collaboration) and members’ names
To apply the entry limits in the Rules (Rules 6–8)
Our agreement with you
Song title, category, song file, [clean version], release date, link to the official release, ISRC (if provided)
To check eligibility and assess your entry
Our agreement with you
Performance video link (optional)
To help assess and promote your entry
Our agreement with you
Credits: songwriters, producers and lead artistes, including lead artistes’ emails
To check rights and credits, and to confirm lead artistes’ consent if you reach the Top 20
Our agreement with you; legitimate interests
Biography, profile picture, website, social media pages, press kit (optional)
To present and promote your entry, including your public entrant profile on the ISM website
Our agreement with you
Manager or representative: name, email, phone, role
To contact your team
Our agreement with you; legitimate interests
Declarations about ISM or SCORCH employment, and any SCORCH affiliation
Eligibility and conflict-of-interest rules (Rules 15 and 16)
Legal obligation / legitimate interests
Parent or guardian details (entrants under 18)
Guardian consent (Rule 17)
Our agreement with you; legal obligation
Records of the terms you accepted, and when
Evidence of our agreement
Legitimate interests
Email verification records
To confirm your email address and prevent fake entries
Legitimate interests
Who sees your entry: the Music Committee and judges see your act name, song, category and country of representation only. Your contact details, date of birth and other information are seen only by competition administrators.
3.3 People named in an entry If someone names you in an entry, as a co-writer, producer, lead artiste, band, group or collaboration member, or manager, we hold the details they give us: your name and role, and, for lead artistes and managers, your contact details. We use them to check rights and credits, to contact the entrant’s team, and, if the entry reaches the Top 20, to ask lead artistes to confirm their consent. When we contact you, we’ll send you this notice.
3.4 Performers (Semi-Finalists and Finalists)
What we collect
Why
Legal basis
ID or passport, home address
To verify identity, and for accreditation and contracts
Our agreement with you
Bank details, tax reference number
To pay prizes and fees, and meet tax rules
Our agreement with you; legal obligation
Emergency contact, travel details
Safety and logistics
Our agreement with you; legitimate interests
[Costume measurements]
Production
Our agreement with you
Accreditation photograph
Venue security
Legitimate interests
Health information (optional): access needs, medical or dietary needs
To keep you safe and make adjustments
Your explicit consent
Confirmation of work authorisation (international performers)
Rule 122
Our agreement with you; legal obligation
Parent, guardian and chaperone details (performers under 18)
Child protection (Rule 17)
Legal obligation; legitimate interests
Recordings of your performance
Broadcast, livestream and promotion (Rule 121)
Our agreement with you
We ask for confirmation of your work authorisation, not copies of your immigration documents, unless we are helping you apply.
Guest performers and dancers: we hold your name, role and accreditation photograph only. The contestant you perform with will give you a copy of our short notice.
3.5 Voters
What we collect
Why
Legal basis
Name, email, [phone], country
To process your vote and send your receipt
Our agreement with you
The entry you voted for, number of votes, payment reference, time of payment
To count votes, run audits and handle refunds (Rules 54–56, 104–105, 117)
Our agreement with you; legal obligation
IP address, device information
To detect and prevent fraud
Legitimate interests
Guardian declaration (voters under 18)
Rule 17
Legal obligation; legitimate interests
SMS voting: mobile number and message content
To process SMS votes
The provider’s agreement with you
Your card details are collected and processed by our payment provider, [name], not by us.
3.6 Ticket buyers and event attendees
Online tickets are sold by Islande Tickets, whose privacy notice applies. We receive to manage entry and contact you about the event.
Physical tickets: we collect no personal information unless you pay by card, in which case the card provider’s terms apply.
Filming at events: the Semi-Final and Fantastic Friday are filmed, broadcast and livestreamed. If you attend, you may appear in crowd shots. We place notices at venue entrances.
CCTV: any CCTV at the venue is operated by the venue under its own policy.
3.7 Shop customers If you buy from the ISM shop, we or our shop provider, collect your name, email, delivery address and order details to fulfil your order. Payment details are handled by the payment provider. We keep order records for 6 years as financial records.
3.8 Viewers If you watch a livestream, the platform’s own privacy notice applies. We receive only combined (aggregate) viewing statistics, not information about individual viewers.
3.9 People who contact us If you email or message us, we keep your message and contact details so we can reply and keep a record.
4. WHAT WE MAKE PUBLIC
Running a fair, transparent competition means publishing some information.
We may publish:
your public entrant profile on the ISM website: stage name, biography, profile picture, social media pages, website, category, song title [and song]. Your profile appears only after our team has reviewed it.
from submission: act names, song titles, likenesses and biographies, to promote ISM 2027 (see the Entry Terms, Schedule B). Being featured does not mean being selected;
the Top 20 in each category;
each act’s country of representation (Rule 10);
any SCORCH affiliation of Semi-Finalists (Rule 16);
results for each contestant: expert score, public score, final score, valid public votes and final ranking (Rule 108); and
winners and placed acts in the permanent ISM archive.
We never publish:
who voted, or how much anyone spent;
contact details, legal names (unless you use your legal name as your stage name) , or dates of birth;
managers’ contact details ;
individual judges’ scorecards, or Music Committee scores and rankings; or
performers’ health, financial or identity information.
5. AUTOMATED FRAUD CHECKS
Our voting system automatically flags unusual activity, such as suspected fraud, duplicate payments or reversed payments. No vote is removed automatically. Every flagged vote is reviewed by [named role] and our independent scrutineer before a decision is made. You can ask us to explain or review any decision affecting your votes.
6. WHO WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH
Service providers acting on our instructions: website and portal hosting, the voting platform, cloud storage, email services, [SMS provider], our independent scrutineer [firm], and our professional advisers. They may use your information only to provide their service to us.
Independent organisations with their own responsibilities: our payment provider (card details), Islande Tickets (ticket sales), [our shop provider] , broadcast and media partners (performances and promotional content), livestream platforms, the venue (CCTV and security) and [mobile networks, if SMS voting is used].
Authorities: Our regulators, applicable authorities such as the Board of Inland Revenue, law enforcement agencies and courts, or otherwise where the law requires it.
The ISM brand owners: only where our licence requires it.
Sponsors: never, unless you separately opt in. Where a sponsor runs an approved vote promotion (Rule 115), the sponsor receives vote counts only, never voters’ personal information.
Funders and partners: combined statistics only (for example, “800 entries from 14 countries”) - ever information that identifies you personally.
If ISM 2027 changes operator, your information may transfer to the new operator, who will be required to protect it to the same standard.
We never sell your personal information.
7. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS
Some of our service providers store information outside Trinidad and Tobago. Where they do, we use contracts that require them to protect it to the standard described in this notice.
8. HOW LONG WE KEEP INFORMATION
Information
How long we keep it
Entries not selected for the Top 20, including profile pictures, press kits and song files
6 months after Fantastic Friday, then deleted. Public entrant profiles are taken down after the Top 20 is announced.
Top 20 entrant and performer records
2 years after Fantastic Friday
Winners and placed acts (name, song, title, short clip)
Permanently, in the ISM archive
Records of terms you accepted
6 years
Performer ID, bank and tax details
12 months after the final prize payment, unless tax law requires longer
Performer health information
30 days after Fantastic Friday
Accreditation photographs
30 days after the event
Chaperone and child-protection records
2 years
Vote payment records
6 years, as financial records
[Shop order records]
6 years, as financial records
Fraud and audit records
180 days after results are certified, then anonymised
Marketing lists
Until you unsubscribe. We then keep only enough information to ensure that we don’t contact you again.
Website analytics
7 years
Messages to us
7 years
9. KEEPING INFORMATION SECURE
Access is limited to named people who need it. We use two-step verification on our accounts, encrypted storage, and keep as little information as possible on individual devices. Access is removed when the competition ends.
10. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Entrants and performers under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to give consent and sign on their behalf.
A guardian’s consent at entry includes consent for the entrant’s public profile and promotional use. Without it, no image or profile of anyone under 18 is published.
Voters under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s permission, confirmed by a declaration at checkout.
Performers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or authorised chaperone at all times on site.
11. MARKETING: ALWAYS YOUR CHOICE
Entering, performing or voting never signs you up for marketing. We send competition updates you need (for example, confirmations, receipts and results notifications). Everything else is optional:
ISM news and future editions
News from SCORCH companies (events, TV, music)
Offers from ISM sponsors
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email, or by contacting ism.privacy@thescorch.com.
12. YOUR RIGHTS
You have the right to:
access the information we hold about you;
correct inaccurate information;
ask us to delete your information;
restrict how we use it;
object to our use of it, including for promotion;
receive a copy in a portable format;
withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent; and
ask for human review of decisions about your votes.
Some limits apply. We may need to keep information to run a fair competition, complete audits or meet legal obligations. For example, we cannot delete a vote after results are certified, because it forms part of the audited result. Objecting to promotional use of your entry may mean withdrawing it from ISM 2027 (see the Entry Terms).
We respond within 30 days. This is free. We may need to confirm your identity first.
13. COOKIES
Essential cookies keep the site working and secure. They are always on.
Analytics cookies are used only if you agree.
We do not use advertising tracking on the entry or voting pages. Promotional pages may use advertising tracking only with your consent.
14. IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
If we discover a security breach affecting your information, we assess it within 24 hours. If there is a real risk to you, we will tell you without undue delay, and we will notify regulators where the law requires.
15. COMPLAINTS
Please contact us first at ism.privacy@thescorch.com, and we’ll try to resolve it. You may also complain to the data protection authority in your own country.
16. CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
If we change this notice, we’ll publish the new version here, with its date. If a change significantly affects you, we’ll tell you directly.
We use essential cookies to run this site. With your permission, we’ll also use analytics cookies to improve it. [Accept] [Essential only] [Privacy Notice]
JIT-1: Entry form (shown above the submit button)
Your information, in brief: We use the details in this form to check, assess and run your entry for ISM 2027. The Music Committee sees only your act name, song, category and country. From today, we may feature your entry to promote ISM 2027; being featured doesn’t mean being selected. We never sell your information or use your music to train AI. [Read the full Privacy Notice]
If you’ve named other people (co-writers, producers, lead artistes or a manager), please let them know we hold their details. They can read our Privacy Notice at www.internationalsocamonarch.com/legal.
☐ I accept the Entry Terms and Conditions, including the Official Rules. (required) ☐ I have read the Privacy Notice. (required) ☐ I am the parent or legal guardian of this entrant, who is under 18, and agree to be bound by them where applicable, and I give consent on their behalf. (required if the date of birth shows under 18)
Stay in touch (optional): ☐ ISM news and future editions ☐ News from SCORCH companies ☐ Offers from ISM sponsors
JIT-2: Lead artiste consent email (sent to collaborators)
You’ve been named as a lead artiste on [Song], entered in International Soca Monarch 2027 by [Act]. We hold your name, role and contact details so we can confirm your consent and credit you correctly. We never sell your information. [Read our Privacy Notice]
JIT-3: Performer onboarding (at the top of the form)
Your information, in brief: We need these details to contract, pay, accredit and look after you at ISM 2027. Your bank, ID and tax details are seen only by [competition administration and finance]. Health information is optional, needs your explicit consent, and is deleted 30 days after Fantastic Friday. We ask only for confirmation of your work authorisation, not copies. [Read the full Privacy Notice]
☐ I consent to ISM using the health information I’ve provided to keep me safe and make adjustments. (optional)
☐ I have shared ISM’s short notice with my guest performers and dancers. (required)
JIT-4: Voting checkout
We use your details to process your vote, send your receipt and prevent fraud. Your card details go only to our payment provider, and contestants never see who voted. [Privacy Notice]
☐ I am 18 or over, or I have my parent or guardian’s permission to vote. (required)
Optional: ☐ ISM news ☐ SCORCH news ☐ Sponsor offers
JIT-5: Ticket terms clause and venue signage
Clause for the Islande Tickets listing and the back of physical tickets:
ISM 2027 events are filmed, photographed, broadcast and livestreamed. By attending, you acknowledge you may appear in recordings. Privacy Notice: www.internationalsocamonarch.com/legal
Sign at venue entrances:
🎥 FILMING IN PROGRESS. This event is being filmed and broadcast. You may appear in crowd shots. Privacy Notice: [QR code]
INTERNATIONAL SOCA MONARCH 2027
WORKING COMPETITION RULES
Fantastic Friday 5 February 2027
This document consolidates the competition rules agreed to date. Items deliberately deferred, including final prize values and certain operational details, remain open for later determination.
A. COMPETITION STRUCTURE
1. Competition Categories
ISM 2027 will comprise three competitive categories: Power Soca, Groovy Soca and Steam Soca. Each category will crown its own Monarch.
2. Category Selection
The artiste must identify the category in which each submitted song is being entered. The ISM Music Committee will verify that the song is reasonably eligible for that category. Where the Committee disagrees with the category selected, the artiste may either accept reassignment or withdraw the entry. The defining characteristics of Power, Groovy and Steam Soca are set out in Schedule A, prepared by the ISM Music Committee. [Schedule A to be drafted.]
3. One Category Per Song
A song may compete in only one category. A song may be registered by only one act, and the registration requires the written consent of every credited lead artiste on the released recording.
4. Multiple Categories
An artiste may enter different songs in multiple categories and may qualify for, and win, more than one category in the same year.
5. One Advancing Song Per Act, Per Category
An artiste may submit multiple eligible songs within a category, but only one song by that artiste may advance in that category. If more than one qualifies on merit, the highest-ranked eligible song advances.
6. Collaborations
A collaboration is treated as a separate registered act. An artiste may therefore advance as a solo artiste and separately as part of a collaboration within the same category.
7. Bands, Groups and Duos
Bands, groups and duos may register and compete as a single act. Any title or prize won is awarded to the registered act. Every band, group, duo and collaboration must nominate one payee at registration and submit a prize-split agreement signed by all members. ISM will pay prizes only to the nominated payee, and that payment fully discharges ISM’s prize obligation. Any dispute between members is the responsibility of the act.
8. Group Members Competing Solo
A member of a registered band, group or duo may also enter separately as a solo artiste in the same category. No individual may appear as a registered contestant, whether solo, as a group member or as a collaboration member, in more than two entries in the same category.
B. ELIGIBILITY
9. International Eligibility
ISM 2027 is open to eligible artistes worldwide. There is no nationality or residency restriction.
10. Country Representation
Each registered act must declare one country or territory of representation at registration. That designation remains fixed throughout ISM 2027. For groups or collaborations involving multiple nationalities, the act must select one country or territory. Country representation has no effect on judging, selection, qualification, advancement or voting.
11. T&T vs The World
T&T vs The World is a competition narrative and promotional theme only. There is no separate T&T vs The World championship, Nation Scoreboard or nationality-based scoring.
12. Song Eligibility Period
Eligible songs must have been officially released after the conclusion of Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2026 and by the official ISM 2027 submission deadline.
13. Submission Deadline
Entries will close in December 2026. The exact date will be published in the official competition calendar.Entries close on 1 January 2027 at 12:00 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time.
14. Public Release Requirement
All entered songs must be officially released and publicly available by the submission deadline. Unreleased songs are not eligible. “Officially released” means made available to the public, by or with the authority of the rights holder, on at least one major streaming or download platform. Radio play, live performance or private distribution alone does not count as release.
15. ISM and SCORCH Personnel
All ISM and SCORCH personnel are prohibited from competing in ISM 2027. “Personnel” includes employees, contractors, consultants, Music Committee members and judges of ISM, SCORCH Limited and its subsidiaries, and their immediate family members.
16. SCORCH-Affiliated Artistes
An artiste signed to, distributed by, marketed by or managed by a SCORCH-affiliated company remains eligible, provided that person is not ISM or SCORCH personnel. Applicable conflict-of-interest protections must be observed. SCORCH Limited, its subsidiaries, any SCORCH-affiliated company and all ISM and SCORCH personnel are prohibited from purchasing votes for any entry. ISM will publish each Semi-Finalist’s SCORCH affiliation, if any, when the Top 20 is announced. A “SCORCH-affiliated company” is any company that is owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, SCORCH Limited.
17. Minors
Minors may compete. A parent or legal guardian must execute all required competition agreements, releases and participation permissions on the minor’s behalf. A parent, legal guardian or authorized adult chaperone must accompany the minor at all times while on site. ISM may set rehearsal and call times for minors to comply with applicable child-protection and employment law. Lyrics, choreography and costumes in any performance involving a minor must be appropriate to the minor’s age, as determined by ISM. Notwithstanding Rule 98, ISM may schedule a minor within an earlier performance block where required by law or for the minor’s welfare. Persons under 18 may purchase votes only with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, as required by the platform terms.
C. MUSIC COMMITTEE & SELECTION
18. Music Committee Screening
Eligible submissions will be reviewed by the ISM Music Committee. There will be no live preliminary qualification round.
19. Semi-Final Selection
The Music Committee will select 20 Power Semi-Finalists, 20 Groovy Semi-Finalists and 20 Steam Semi-Finalists, producing 60 Semi-Final entries.
20. No Nationality Quotas
No positions will be reserved for Trinidad & Tobago or international artistes.
21. Confidentiality of Screening
Individual Music Committee scores, rankings, deliberations and internal evaluations remain confidential. ISM will announce only the selected Top 20 in each category.
22. Music Committee Conflicts
Committee members must disclose actual, potential or perceived conflicts involving submitted artistes, producers, songwriters, management teams, labels or other materially connected parties. ISM may require recusal where appropriate. Where a member is recused, that entry’s Committee assessment is based on the average of the remaining members’ scores.
23. The NEXT
The NEXT is not part of the ISM 2027 competitive qualification structure and provides no wildcard position. It may operate separately as an artiste-development or spotlight initiative.
D. SEMI-FINAL
24. One Semi-Final Event
All three categories will compete at one Semi-Final event held on one day.
25. Advancement
The Top 8 scoring entries in each category advance to Fantastic Friday. Ordinarily, this produces 24 finalists.
26. Merit-Based Advancement
Advancement is based entirely on competition results, without nationality quotas.
27. True Tie Exception
Where a true tie remains for the final qualifying position after all established tie-breakers are exhausted, all tied acts advance. A category may therefore exceptionally have more than eight finalists.
28. Semi-Final Voting Opens
Public voting begins when the Top 20 Semi-Finalists are officially announced.
29. Semi-Final Voting Closes by Category
The competitive public-voting component for each category closes immediately after the final contestant in that category performs. The intended category sequence is Power, then Groovy, then Steam. People’s Choice voting continues independently after each competition voting window closes.
E. FANTASTIC FRIDAY
30. Fantastic Friday
The Final will be staged on Carnival Friday, 5 February 2027.
31. New Performance Draw
Finalists participate in a new random draw for Fantastic Friday. Semi-Final performance positions have no bearing on Final performance positions.
32. Final Voting Opens
Fantastic Friday competition voting opens when the Top 8 finalists in each category are officially announced following the Semi-Final. Competition vote totals reset to zero for the Final.
33. Final Voting Closes by Category
The competitive voting window for each category closes immediately after that category’s final contestant performs.
34. Placements
ISM formally recognizes 1st Place (Category Monarch), 2nd Place and 3rd Place. Only the Category Monarch receives the official category cash prize.prize, which may consist of cash, a prize package (such as a vehicle) or both.
35. Different Category Prizes
Power, Groovy and Steam will carry different winner’s cash prizes. The amountsprizes. The amounts, items and values will be established separately in the official prize schedule.
F. EXPERT + PUBLIC SCORING
36. Overall Scoring
Semi-Final and Fantastic Friday results are determined by 80% Expert Judging and 20% Public Vote.
37. Judging Panel
Each category will have seven expert judges.
38. High/Low Removal
The highest and lowest judge totals for each contestant are removed. The remaining five scores are used to calculate the contestant’s Expert Judging Score.The contestant’s Expert Judging Score is the average of the remaining judge totals, out of 80 and calculated to two decimal places. Where a recusal leaves a contestant with six judges, the highest and lowest are still removed and the remaining four are averaged. Where fewer than six judges score a contestant, no scores are removed and all are averaged.
39. Separate Judging Panels
Semi-Final and Fantastic Friday use separate judging panels. A judge who adjudicates a category at Semi-Final may not judge that same category at Fantastic Friday.
G. POWER SOCA SCORING
40. Shared Expert Criteria: 60 Points
Songwriting & Composition: 15
Vocal Delivery: 10
Stage Performance & Command: 15
Originality & Creativity: 10
Overall Impact: 10
41. Power-Specific Criteria: 20 Points
Energy & Intensity: 10
Crowd Command & Fete/Road Impact: 10
42. Public Vote: 20 Points
Total possible score: 100.
H. GROOVY SOCA SCORING
43. Shared Expert Criteria: 60 Points
Songwriting & Composition: 15
Vocal Delivery: 10
Stage Performance & Command: 15
Originality & Creativity: 10
Overall Impact: 10
44. Groovy-Specific Criteria: 20 Points
Melody & Musicality: 10
Groove, Rhythm & Feel: 10
45. Public Vote: 20 Points
Total possible score: 100.
I. STEAM SOCA SCORING
46. Steam Expert Criteria: 80 Points
Steam will not have separate genre-specific judging criteria.
Songwriting & Composition: 20
Vocal Delivery: 15
Stage Performance & Command: 20
Originality & Creativity: 15
Overall Impact: 10
47. Public Vote: 20 Points
Total possible score: 100.
J. PUBLIC VOTING
48. Paid Voting
Public voting operates on the basis of TT$1 = 1 vote. Voting is unlimited.
49. No Minimum Purchase
A voter may purchase a single vote.
50. No Maximum
There is no maximum number of votes a person or entity may purchase.
51. No Vote Bundles
There are no discounted or preset voting bundles. The voter enters the desired quantity and every vote retains the same TT$1 base value.
52. Transaction Fees
Payment-processing, platform and applicable currency-conversion fees are charged separately to the voter.
53. International Voting
Voting may occur worldwide, subject to the jurisdictions and payment methods supported by the official platform. International voters pay the applicable currency equivalent presented by the platform.
54. Valid Vote
A vote becomes valid only once the associated payment is successfully authorized through the approved ISM voting/payment platform.
55. Deadline Authorization
A transaction must be successfully authorized before the applicable voting deadline. Starting checkout before the deadline does not secure the votes.
56. Invalid Votes
Votes associated with fraudulent, reversed, refunded, charged-back, duplicated or otherwise invalid transactions may be removed before certification.
57. Contestants May Purchase Votes
Contestants, management, sponsors, families, fan clubs and supporters may legitimately purchase votes. Their affiliation with an entry does not invalidate those votes. This rule is subject to the prohibition on vote purchases by SCORCH, SCORCH-affiliated companies and ISM and SCORCH personnel in Rule 16.
58. Public Disclosure by SupportersNo Public Vote Claims
Sponsors, contestants or supporters may publicly state or promote the number of votes they claim to have purchased. ISM will not verify those claims while voting remains open.While any voting window is open, contestants, their representatives, sponsors and supporters may not publicly state or promote the number of votes purchased, or claim that an entry is leading or trailing. ISM may require the claim to be removed and may apply the sanctions in Rule 120 where the contestant or their representatives made, directed or knowingly permitted it.
59. Live Vote Blackout
Live vote totals, rankings and comparative voting data remain confidential while voting is open. Contestants and their representatives receive no privileged access to live totals.
K. CALCULATING THE 20% PUBLIC SCORE
60. Category-Based Normalization
Public scores are calculated separately within each category and competition round.
61. Highest-Voted Entry
The highest-voted entryhighest-voted eligible entry in the category receives the full 20 public points.
62. ProportionalSquare-Root Scoring
Every other entry receives: √(Entry’s Valid Votes ÷ Highest Valid Vote Total in Category) × 20. Only eligible entries are counted; votes for withdrawn or disqualified entries are excluded from both the entry’s total and the highest total. If no eligible entry in a category receives any valid votes, every entry receives 0 public points. Component scores are carried at full precision, and only the Final Score is rounded to two decimal places.
Example: if the highest-voted entry in a category receives 50,000 valid votes, an entry with 12,500 votes receives √(12,500 ÷ 50,000) × 20 = 10.00 public points, and an entry with 5,000 votes receives √(5,000 ÷ 50,000) × 20 = 6.32 public points.
63. Round Reset
Semi-Final competition votes do not carry into the Final competition score. Fantastic Friday competitive voting begins from zero.
L. PEOPLE’S CHOICE
64. One Overall Award
There will be one overall ISM 2027 People’s Choice Champion across Power, Groovy and Steam.
65. Specific Entry
People’s Choice votes attach to the specific registered entry, not generally to the artiste. Different entries by the same artiste do not combine their votes. Collaborations have their own totals.
66. Voting Begins at Top 20
All 60 Semi-Final entries enter the People’s Choice race when the Top 20 contestants in each category are announced.
67. Cumulative Voting
People’s Choice votes accumulate continuously and do not reset after Semi-Final.
68. Eliminated Entries Remain Eligible
An entry eliminated at Semi-Final may continue receiving People’s Choice votes and may ultimately win People’s Choice.
69. One Vote, Two Functions
During an active competition voting window, each valid TT$1 vote contributes to the applicable 20% competition public score and also adds to that entry’s cumulative People’s Choice total.
70. People’s Choice Closing Time
People’s Choice voting closes immediately after the final competitive performance on Fantastic Friday.
71. Guaranteed Prize
The People’s Choice prize is guaranteed regardless of total voting revenue. The exact prize package/value will be established separately.
M. WITHDRAWALS, DISQUALIFICATION & NO-SHOWS
72. Withdrawal or Disqualification
An entry that withdraws or is disqualified after voting begins becomes ineligible for both the main competition and People’s Choice.
73. Existing Votes
Votes already purchased remain recorded for audit and reconciliation purposes but are excluded from eligible competition and People’s Choice results. The net proceeds of those votes, after payment-processing fees, will be donated to a named charity. ISM will publish the amount donated after Fantastic Friday.
74. No Automatic Refund
Vote purchases are final except for verified technical/payment errors, duplicate or erroneous transactions, or another exception expressly authorized by ISM.
75. No Replacement Contestants
Once the official Top 20 or Top 8 is announced, a withdrawn or disqualified contestant is not replaced by the next-ranked contestant. The position remains vacant.
76. No-Show
A contestant who fails to report and perform as scheduled without prior ISM approval may be disqualified.
77. Call Time
Contestants must be checked in, present and performance-ready at least 60 minutes before their scheduled performance. Exceptional circumstances remain subject to ISM approval.
N. PERFORMANCE RULES
78. Maximum Performance Time
Semi-Final and Fantastic Friday performances have a maximum duration of six minutes.performances have a maximum duration of four minutes. Fantastic Friday performances have a maximum duration of six minutes.
79. Timing Penalties
Up to 15 seconds over: No deduction
16–30 seconds over: 2-point deduction
31–60 seconds over: 5-point deduction
More than 60 seconds over: Disqualification
80. Official Clock
Timing begins with the first intentional audible or visual element of the presentation. This includes music, video, voice-over, dancers, theatrical introductions, guest performers or special effects. Timing ends at the conclusion of the final intentional performance element.
81. House Band
All Semi-Finalists and Finalists must perform with the official ISM House Band.
82. Rehearsal
Attendance at the officially scheduled House Band rehearsal is mandatory unless an exemption is expressly approved by ISM.
83. Guest Musicians
Guest musicians may participate subject to advance production approval. Associated costs are borne by the contestant.
84. Guest Vocalists
Guest vocalists may provide backing vocals, harmonies, call-and-response, featured sections or other approved elements. The registered contestant must remain the principal lead performer. Members of a registered collaboration are contestants, not guest vocalists.
85. Live Lead Vocal
The contestant’s lead competitive vocal must be performed live. Pre-recorded backing vocals, effects and approved production elements are permitted but cannot substantially replace the live lead vocal.
O. PERFORMANCE CONTENT
86. Same Registered Song
A Finalist must perform the same registered song that qualified at Semi-Final.
87. New Presentation Permitted
The Fantastic Friday presentation may substantially evolve through arrangement, staging, choreography, costumes, props, visuals, guest performers and other creative production.
88. Rearrangement Permitted
The registered song may be remixed or rearranged for live performance, including changes to instrumentation, breakdowns, tempo sections, original lyrics, intros and outros. It must remain clearly identifiable as the registered competition song.
89. No Medleys
Contestants may not incorporate excerpts, verses, choruses or recognizable portions of other songs into the six-minute competitive performance.
90. Sparrow Tribute
A Sparrow tribute is optional and carries no separate score. Where used, it may influence existing judging criteria naturally. Any tribute must comply with the rule prohibiting excerpts from other songs.
91. Broadcast Standards
Normal soca lyrical freedom, including mature themes, is permitted subject to ISM broadcast/content standards. Where necessary, contestants must provide or perform an appropriate clean version for television, radio, streaming or other distribution.
P. PRODUCTION & SAFETY
92. Production Elements
Dancers, costumes, props and creative/theatrical elements are permitted at the contestant’s expense, subject to approval.
93. Special Production Approval
Props, pyrotechnics, flame effects, liquids, confetti, aerial elements, stage structures and other non-standard production elements require advance written ISM Production approval. ISM may prohibit, modify or place conditions on an element for safety, venue, technical, broadcast or timing reasons.
94. Team Passes
Each contestant receives 20 complimentary performance/team passes. Additional passes may be purchased at the established ISM rate.
95. Stage Personnel
There is no fixed cap on additional performers or creative personnel, subject to production, venue and safety approval.
Q. TECHNICAL FAILURE
96. ISM-Caused Technical Failure
Where a performance is materially affected by an ISM-confirmed technical or production failure outside the contestant’s control, ISM may stop or disregard the clock, authorize a restart or authorize a complete re-performance. No timing or scoring penalty will arise from the confirmed failure.
97. Contestant-Caused Technical Failure
Where the issue results from the contestant, their personnel, props, equipment or failure to comply with technical requirements, the clock continues and there is no automatic right to restart or re-perform. ISM may intervene where necessary for safety.
R. PERFORMANCE ORDER
98. Random Draw
Performance order within each category is determined by random draw.
99. Separate Final Draw
Fantastic Friday has a fresh random draw.
S. TIE-BREAKING
100. First Tie-Breaker
Higher Expert Judging Score.
101. Second Tie-Breaker
If still tied, higher raw valid public vote total for that competition round.
102. Third Tie-Breaker
If still tied, higher Overall Impact score.average Overall Impact score from the judges counted under Rule 38.
103. True Tie
If entries remain tied after all three tie-breakers, the result is recognized as a true tie. At Semi-Final, all acts tied for the final qualifying position advance. At Fantastic Friday, the applicable placement or title is jointly awarded.
T. RESULTS & AUDIT
104. Independent Verification
Competition results must be independently audited or verified before certification.
105. Scope of Verification
Verification includes judge calculations, removal of high/low scores, 80/20 weighting, public-vote totals, proportional scoring, tie-breakers, rankings and advancement.
106. Certification
No Semi-Final or Fantastic Friday result is official until certified.
107. Semi-Final Announcement
Finalists will be announced live following certification of the Semi-Final results.
108. Published Results
Following each competition round, ISM will publish for each contestant: Expert Score /80, Public Score /20, Final Score /100, Valid Public Votes and Final Ranking. Individual judge scorecards will not form part of the published official results.
U. JUDGE CONFLICTS
109. Conflict Disclosure
Judges must disclose actual, potential or perceived conflicts involving contestants. A disclosure does not automatically disqualify a judge. ISM determines whether the judge may continue or must recuse themselves from adjudicating that contestant.
V. COPYRIGHT & RIGHTS
110. Contestant Responsibility
Each contestant is responsible for confirming that they possess all rights, licences, permissions and clearances necessary to submit and perform the registered song and authorize ISM to record, broadcast, livestream, rebroadcast and distribute the competition performance. This includes the composition, master recording, samples, interpolations and other protected material.
111. Existing Samples & Interpolations
Properly cleared samples and interpolations already contained in the officially released registered song are permitted. They cannot be newly introduced into the competition arrangement merely to circumvent the no-medley rule.
112. Rights Disputes
Where a credible copyright, ownership, licensing or other rights dispute arises, ISM may suspend the entry and require satisfactory proof of authorization within an ISM-established deadline. Failure to provide satisfactory proof may result in disqualification. An unsupported allegation alone does not automatically result in disqualification.
W. VOTING CONTINGENCIES
113. Voting Platform Outage
Following a significant voting-platform outage or technical failure, ISM may extend an active voting window for an appropriate period. The same extension must apply to all affected entries within that category. If the outage is not resolved within [30] minutes of the scheduled close, the Rule 114 alternative procedure applies to that category and round.
114. Regulatory Intervention
ISM may modify, suspend or discontinue paid voting where required by law, regulation, payment-provider requirements or a competent authority. Where this occurs, ISM will announce an alternative scoring procedure intended to preserve the integrity and fairness of the competition as closely as reasonably possible.results for every affected category and round will be determined entirely by Expert Judging, calculated as (Expert Judging Score ÷ 80) × 100. Tie-breakers in Rules 100 and 102 continue to apply; Rule 101 does not. People’s Choice will be determined on valid votes authorized before the suspension took effect.
X. ADDITIONAL VOTING PROVISIONS
115. Vote Incentives Prohibited
No contestant, representative, sponsor or supporter may offer any prize, draw, raffle, giveaway, discount, rebate or other benefit conditional on the purchase of votes. ISM may void votes connected to a prohibited incentive and may disqualify an entry where the contestant or their representatives organized, encouraged or knowingly permitted the incentive. This rule does not apply to official promotions approved by ISM in writing. Votes issued through an approved promotion are valid only where the promoter has paid ISM TT$1 per vote, and the participant must be free to assign them to any eligible entry. A contestant notified by ISM of an unapproved incentive must publicly disavow it within [12] hours; failure to do so is treated as knowingly permitting it.
116. People’s Choice Tie
If two or more eligible entries are tied in valid People’s Choice votes at close, the entry that first reached the tied total, based on payment-authorization timestamps, is the People’s Choice Champion. If the timestamps are identical, the award is made jointly.
117. Post-Certification Payment Reversals
Certified results, rankings and prizes are final and are not altered by chargebacks, refunds or payment reversals occurring after certification, except where ISM establishes that the contestant or their representatives were involved in fraudulent voting, in which case ISM may revoke the affected placement, title and prize. ISM may act under this rule for up to 180 days after certification. Where a placement is revoked, each lower-ranked entry moves up one place, and the contestant must repay any prize received within 30 days of ISM’s written demand.
118. Price and Taxes
The TT$1 vote price is [inclusive / exclusive] of Value Added Tax and any other applicable taxes. [To be confirmed following tax advice.]
Y. CONDUCT
119. Contact with Judges and Committee Members
From submission until certification of the Fantastic Friday results, no contestant, representative or supporter may knowingly contact any judge or Music Committee member about ISM 2027, or offer them any gift, payment, favour or other inducement. A breach may result in disqualification. Judges and Committee members must report any approach to ISM within 24 hours. No judge may appear on SCORCH or ISM broadcast or digital coverage of ISM 2027 while judging remains open.
120. General Conduct
Contestants and their teams must not harass, threaten or abuse other contestants, judges, Committee members, ISM personnel, voters or the public, whether in person or online. ISM may disqualify an entry where the contestant or their team engaged in, directed, encouraged or knowingly permitted such conduct. Depending on seriousness, ISM may issue a written warning, apply a deduction of up to [5] points from the Final Score, or disqualify the entry. Before any deduction or disqualification, the contestant will be told of the allegation and given a reasonable opportunity to respond.
Z. AGREEMENTS, LOGISTICS & DISPUTES
121. Media, Name and Likeness Release
Each contestant grants ISM and SCORCH a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to record, broadcast, livestream, rebroadcast, distribute and otherwise use their performance, name, likeness, voice and biography in connection with ISM 2027 and its promotion, in all media. Contestants must obtain equivalent signed releases from every dancer, guest musician, guest vocalist and other performer they bring before rehearsal. ISM is responsible for releases from the House Band. Any commercial release of a competition performance as a separate recording, such as a live album or single, requires a separate written agreement with the contestant and the relevant rights holders. ISM will obtain its own performance and broadcast licences from COTT.
122. International Contestants
Unless ISM agrees otherwise in writing, each contestant is responsible for passports, visas, work permits and any other entry or performance authorization, as well as travel, accommodation and insurance. A contestant who cannot lawfully perform as scheduled is treated as having withdrawn under Rule 72. Before the Top 20 is announced, each international act must confirm in writing that every performer holds, or has applied for, the travel documents and work authorization needed to perform. ISM may decline to select an act that cannot give that confirmation.
123. Protests
A registered contestant, or their nominated representative, may file a written protest with the ISM Competition Director within [24] hours of publication of the certified results for the relevant round. The protest must identify the rule concerned and the grounds. [A protest fee of TT$____ applies, refundable if the protest is upheld.]
124. Matters Not Open to Protest
The artistic judgment of individual judges, and Music Committee selection decisions, are not open to protest, except on grounds of an undisclosed conflict of interest or a calculation error.
125. Appeals Panel
Protests are decided by an Appeals Panel of [three] persons who took no part in screening or judging the entries concerned, chaired by an independent attorney-at-law who is not employed by or contracted to ISM or SCORCH. The Panel will decide within [72] hours and, for Semi-Final protests, before Fantastic Friday.
126. Final Decision
Decisions of the Appeals Panel are final and binding to the fullest extent permitted by law.
127. Remedies
Where a protest is upheld, the Appeals Panel may correct scores, rankings and results. Where a Semi-Final protest is upheld after finalists are announced, the wronged act is added as an additional finalist; no announced finalist is removed except for disqualification. No prize will be paid until the protest window for that round has closed and every protest filed has been decided.
AA. GENERAL
128. Governing Law
These rules are governed by the laws of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and its courts have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute not resolved under Rules 123–127.
129. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ISM and SCORCH are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, or for loss arising from events outside their reasonable control, including platform outages, payment-provider failures, travel disruption or severe weather. [Liability cap to be confirmed by counsel.]
130. Amendments
ISM and SCORCH may amend these rules where reasonably necessary for legal, safety, technical or operational reasons. Amendments will be published on the official ISM website and will not apply retroactively to scores already certified.
THE STORY OF THE STAGE
FROM THE FIRST CROWN TO A GLOBAL STAGE.
On February 11, 1993, the inaugural Soca Monarch final took place at The Spectrum in Port of Spain. Developed through the efforts of William Munro and the Carnival Judges Association, the competition brought together 29 performers. SuperBlue won that first crown with “Bacchanal Time,” setting the tone for decades of powerful soca performances.
Over time, Soca Monarch became closely associated with Fantastic Friday, the high-energy Friday before Carnival. Its champions included SuperBlue, Ronnie McIntosh, Shadow, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Machel Montano and many others who helped define the Carnival soundtrack.
The competition evolved along with the music. The Groovy Soca title was introduced in 2005 to recognize more melodic songs alongside the uptempo Power tradition. In different eras, the show featured separate categories and unified titles, reflecting how soca’s sound—and its audience—continued to change.
MOMENTS THAT SHAPED THE MONARCH
THE ISM LEGACY.
1993
THE BEGINNING
The first Soca Monarch final takes place at The Spectrum in Port of Spain, with SuperBlue crowned the inaugural winner.
2005
TWO DISTINCT SOUNDS
The Groovy category makes its formal debut, broadening the competition’s recognition of soca styles.
2011
THE SPECTACLE GROWS
Elaborate staging, choreography and major production values become part of the crown-winning experience.
2027
THE CROWN RETURNS
The planned revival puts Trinidad & Tobago and international soca talent in the spotlight once again.
PARTNERS
Approved partners and official partnership information will appear here once provided by the ISM team.
HOME OF THE LEGENDS.
EMAIL THE ISM TEAM.
For registration questions, entry assistance and general competition enquiries, email:
