The top three winners of the R U READY competition.
SIMPSON BAY--St. Maarten’s emerging artistes took centre stage at the R U READY competition, hosted by Darryl York and Jernaldo “Dr. Rum” Thielman.
The event, held at XO Nightlife St. Maarten and Lotus Nightclub on December 8 and 9, showcased the island’s diverse and dynamic creative scene.
Participants in the demo listening sessions joined by judges.
The competition kicked off with a demo listening session, featuring 22 artistes and a mix of talented producers. Each participant had one minute to showcase their musical prowess, receiving feedback from judges, including St. Maarten’s Soca King King James, radio personality Gee Money and Grammy-winning producers Cool and Dre.
Following the demo session, the talent showcase and after-party featured 12 artistes and 10 producers who delivered stellar performances. The R U READY team said judges Cool and Dre were captivated by the raw talent and creativity on display. The competition was fierce, resulting in the identification of the top three finalists.
In third place was Twan Jahova, an 18-year-old artiste who earned a prize of US $500. Elona, one of the two talented female artistes, claimed second place with a reward of $1,000. The title of R U READY Champion went to “Rudy Numba 4”, who not only received a cash prize of $1,500 but also an all-expenses-paid trip to the New School Rulles Urban Hip-Hop conference and the opportunity for a Cool and Dre Production. The judges expressed their excitement for the winners and anticipated promising connections and networking opportunities in their future.
Dr. Rum, the charismatic host of the event, skilfully guided the two-night extravaganza, showcasing the local talent of St. Maarten.
York encouraged all local creatives to continue honing their craft, emphasising the vast opportunities in the creative industry and orange economy that reflect St. Maarten’s culture.
The R U READY team extended congratulations to all participants and sponsors for their contributions to making this event possible. Persons are encouraged to stay tuned for more upcoming events from the R U READY team as they continue to support St. Maarten’s artistic community and nurture its rising stars.
