IT WAS DWANE HUSBANDS' NIGHT again in the fourth season of the Digicel Rising Stars competition in association with ScotiaBank.

Judging from last Saturday's performance of A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke in the Blue(s) category of the final round, he sent a message loud and clear to the people of the Eastern Caribbean that he is in it to win it.

"It's been a long time coming, but a change has come," he sang to thunderous applause and stomping at the St Gabriel's School Auditorium, Henry's Lane, St Michael.

Resident judges Vinny V, Serpent and Wayne "Kool" Simmons agreed that Husbands deserved to win.

Husbands also performed in three other categories: Something Old, a song previously performed in the competition; New, a song never performed in the competition, in the first round and Borrowed – a cover song in the second round. He sang Stay With You by Tarrus Riley (Old), Miss Independent by Ne-Yo (New), and Superstar by Ruben Studdard (Borrowed).

In my opinion Da Lonya Joseph of St Lucia beat Husbands in the first round with an a cappella version of Amazing Grace (Old) and Imagine by John Lennon (New). The performances were both well received by the three judges, but she fell down in the final round with I'll Be Missing You (Borrowed) by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112 – the sample of Every Breath You Take by The Police.

She rose again with Summertime, originally composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy And Bess. Simmons remarked that she may get invitations to perform at the St Lucia and Barbados jazz festivals.

Host Belle Holder said it was the first "battle of the sexes" in the competition.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Urban Development Patrick Todd, who had a front seat at the show, said it was keenly contested and generated tremendous interest in the region.

"I'm very happy the organisers chose Bridgetown as the venue for the contest. The exposure and experiences garnered by the contestants would definitely provide them with a springboard to rise to the highest height of their capability.

"They are positive role models for young people . . . to encourage the youth to reach for their dreams, and I look forward to a Barbadian victory," Todd said.

by Katrina BEND