Rikki Jai may have had the most popular chutney soca tune this season but the charming, happy-go-lucky Ravi Bissambhar with music in his soul drove an international audience into voting him into top position.

Ravi B was announced the winner of the 2010 Chutney Soca Monarch championship at 3 a.m. yesterday at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

The audience at the park and viewers worldwide were the judges as text votes poured in from 8 p.m. to midnight giving Ravi B the lead over 11 other finalists.

He won a cash prize of $200,000.

Five-time winner Rikki Jai made it to second place with ’Bar Man’ taking home a $100,000 prize while Moses Charles, who has been enjoying a successful season with ’Indrani’, was voted third.

Singing ’Drinker’, Ravi B who last year took second place with ’Dularie’ captured the essence of the chutney soca music with lyrics that surrendered to the consumption of alcohol where efforts were made to reduce the number of alcohol related compositions.

Charles won $60,000 while Omardath Maraj placed fourth winning $40,000.

Lalchan ’Hunter’ Babwah placed fifth with ’Puncheon’.

He will receive along with all other finalists $30,000 each.

They included three-time winner Heeralal Rampartap with ’Reviver’, Soca Elvis (Rum doh bother Me), Kris Persad (Nadia from Couva), Neeshan ’Hitman’ Prabhu (Spanner), Derrick Seales (Chutney lover), Andy Singh (Gul from India) and last year’s winner Kenneth Salick with ’How long I will wait.’

The competition was judged exclusively on a bmobile platform and each artiste had a code enabling a live as well as television and radio audience to text to SOCA and vote for their favourite artiste.

The 15th annual carnival competition organised by Southex Promotions attracted a larger crowd this year and received a viewing audience from several countries including New Zealand, China, USA, Canada and a number of Caribbean countries.

Southex chief executive officer George Singh said he was notified that large screens were set up in Canada and the US where chutney soca lovers gathered in groups to follow the contest.

’The response this year has been overwhelming with votes coming in from New Zealand and China as well as other parts of the world,’ he said.

He said that the energy at Skinner Park was electrifying.

’It was the best year of the competition so far,’ the San Fernando businessman said.

He increased his investment into the show from $4 million to $6 million this year and said that the Chutney Soca Monarch competition was near to his heart.

Dubbed ’Festival, Night of the Stars,’ the show started at 8.30 p.m with the national anthem followed by fireworks before Michael Salickram led the Shiv Shakti dancers in a sizzling dance item to a medley on Bollywood tunes.

Tight packed and fast paced, the onstage programme flowed smoothly with Anil Bheem and Shurwayne Winchester making way for the 12 finalists who each hit the stage with dramatic performances aided by troupes of top dancers.

Last year’s winner Kenneth Salick failed to impress after turning his dream into reality with ’Radica’ and travelling to several countries for live performances.

The chutney soca competition came to an end at midnight leaving several big bands to entertain the huge crowds.

Alison Hinds who last year thrilled the Skinner Park crowd took the stage briefly with Nisha Bissambhar to lend their voices to the chorus of Ravi B’s ’Drinker’.

The presentation was dramatic with modern and professional choreography.

Ravi B returned to the stage after the contest to entertain with his band Karma.

Top performer Anil Bheem and the BMRZ orchestra as well as JMC 3 Veni, Spread Pal Crew and Gayatones kept the party swinging until the early hours of yesterday morning.

In his victory speech, Ravi B said that he would be taking chutney soca to Madison Square Garden, New York this summer.

He received 9,575 votes to win the crown.

The 27-year-old singer formed the band Karma with his sister Nisha Bissambhar seven years ago. The band has been enjoying tremendous success.

Manager Rennie Mohammed said that they were booked until the middle of March when they leave for performances in cities of North American, Canada and Holland.

The band returns home in May for a series of shows and leave again for Suriname, El Salvador, Spain and other countries.

The band has released ten CDs so far.