Soca megastar Machel Montano announced that

this year’s run of Machel Monday will be his last.

The Soca Kingdom singer made the surprise announcement during his performance at breakfast fete Black2Blue on Saturday (Jan. 11) morning.

Halfway through his set, he said:

“Allyuh eh find Machel in this business long

enough? I am 45 and allyuh is meh real friends — we grow up together. If real

friends love real friends, what they do? They look out for them. Anybody happy

to be Machel friend or fan?

“I gonna let you know this: 2020 is Machel

Monday 10. It started in 2011. Allyuh remember ‘The Return’ (first Machel

Monday concert)? That was 2011 to now. In nine years, how much Road March

Machel win in nine years? In nine years — seven Road March. I lost one to

Maximus and Ultimate Rejects – Full Extreme, and Superblue – Fantastic Friday.

“So I just want to tell allyuh this: I love allyuh. But yuh see Machel Monday 10? This is going to be the finale. This is going to be it. Ten, perfect ten. I am living a happy life. Are you living a happy life? If you don’t want it to end yet, let me know we know.”

Over the years, Machel Monday has become a staple event on the Carnival calendar. Held the week before Carnival Monday, his concert was the first soca concert of his kind, setting the bar for other artists with its high-octane performances and quite the impressive lineup of local, regional and international acts.

The Machel Monday finale will be held on

February 17, 2020 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.