Empress Lyric becomes first woman from Nevis to win Calypso Monarch title at 2025 TDC Senior Kaiso Finals

St Kitts and Nevis: Nathalie Charles, better known by her stage name ‘Empress Lyric’, has become the first woman from Nevis to win the title of Calypso Monarch. She won the crown at the 2025 TDC Senior Kaiso Finals which took place on Friday night, August 2, at the NEDACS Cultural Complex in Charlestown. 

During the tournament, Charles managed to score 792 points, outperforming a group of male and female calypsonians at this competitive event. This win positions her in Nevisian history as the first female artist to secure the top calypso title since the beginning of the competition. 

Historic win during Culturama 50

Notably, the TDC Senior Kaiso Finals was part of the island’s 50th Culturama celebrations, Calypso has been a long-standing part of the festival and is known for its blend of social commentary, satire, and musical performance. Although several women have participated in the event before, no one had ever won the top spot. 

Charle’s performance featured strong lyrical content and confidence while also maintaining the rhythm and energy as expected of her at the finals. 

The competition saw a large crowd, which included supporters from all over the island, as it ended up being a historic night. With this victory, Empress Lyric will now represent Nevis at the Leeward Islands Calypso Competition in Anguilla which also features the best calypsonians from across the Caribbean region.

Moreover, her victory has sparked hope in other female artists in calypso - a male dominated field in Nevis and across the Caribbean until now. In addition, Culturama 50 continued over the weekend, with other events, including the Soca Monarch Finals and street parades.