Omaiah Hall rules the road

Mar 07, 2025 News, Xtra Entertainment

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…crowned Road March Champ with “Breakway”

Kaieteur News- In a triumphant turn of events Guyanese artist Omaiah Hall has been crowned the Road March queen with her song “Breakway” in their year’s Mashramani competition.

This victory comes as sweet vindication after her controversial third-place finish in the Soca Monarch competition earlier this season. Hall’s “Breakway” dominated the streets during Mashramani, being played most frequently by revelers and music trucks throughout the parade route. The Road March title, determined by song frequency during the festivities rather than judges’ scores, reflects the public’s overwhelming embrace of the track.

The announcement has delighted Hall’s supporters, who had taken to social media in protest following the Soca Monarch results, arguing that “Breakway” deserved higher placement. The infectious rhythm and crowd-pleasing energy of the song proved to be the number one during Mashramani, confirming what many fans had already declared – that “Breakway” was indeed the people’s choice for the season.

Music critics note that this split between competition results and Road March popularity is not unprecedented in Caribbean carnival traditions, where sometimes the most technically accomplished performances differ from the songs that ultimately capture the public’s imagination during street celebrations.

For Hall, the Road March crown represents a significant achievement and establishes her firmly among Guyana’s top soca artists heading into future carnival seasons. “I worked really hard for this and my hard work paid off. Now I don’t wanna stop, I want more and more. The entire Caribbean must know me. The world must know this little soca princess from Guyana,” Omaiah told this publication.

 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Ministry of Culture revealed that out of 21 participating bands, which included both governmental and non-governmental groups, most of the government  ministries came out victorious including  the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, emerging as winners  in two major categories: Float (Non-commercial) and Full Costumes (Large Band).

Following the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in the Non-commercial Float category, the Ministry of Public Works claimed second place, while the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) secured third place. In the Commercial Float segment, GUYOIL took first place, while Heritage Band placed second.

In the regional competition, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region 5 was named the winner, followed by RDC Region 4 in second place and RDC Region 10 in third.

In the Semi-Costume Band category, the Ministry of Agriculture won first place in the Large Band category, the Office of the Prime Minister won for Medium Bands, and RDC Region 5 was awarded first place in the Small Band category.

The King of the Band segment saw the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs taking first place, while the Ministry of Education secured second, and the Office of the Prime Minister earned third. In the Queen of the Band competition, the Ministry of Agriculture came out on top, followed by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in second place, and RDC Region 4 in third.

In the Female Individual category, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs took first place, with the Ministry of Agriculture in second and the Ministry of Housing and Water placing third. For the Male Individual category, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs again claimed first, while the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security took second, and the Ministry of Agriculture earned third.

In the Full Costume Band segment, besides the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s first-place win, the Ministry of Public Works secured second place in the Large Band category. In the Medium Band category, the Ministry of Housing and Water’s CHPA placed first, with the Ministry of Education in second and the Ministry of Health in third. In the Small Band category, Heritage Band took first place, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security placed second, and GUYOIL finished third.

In other categories, for Non-commercial Decorated Buildings, the Office of the Prime Minister took first place, followed by the Ministry of Labour in second. In the Commercial Decorated and Illuminated Buildings category, Guyana Water Inc. claimed first place, while in the Non-commercial Decorated and Illuminated Buildings, the Ministry of Housing and Water (CHPA) secured first place. The award for Residential Decorated and Illuminated Building went to Vibert and Alexander Belle, who also won first place for Residential Best Parapet.

Local artists and designers were also honored. Maxi Williams and Neilson Nurse were recognised as designers of the year.

(Omaiah Hall rules the road)

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• competition, Mashramani, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, Parade

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