Local singer Cush Evans has won the first ever Quest for the Best song competition with his song Run Road.

The contest, organised by Intense Mas and sponsored by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, drew more than 20 entries from local and international artists including Terron Webb, Rowdy Piper, E-Levels, J Culture, PonaFlex, B.L.A.C. and Tiny T. Many of the submissions have been receiving rotations on local radio stations.

However, a team of international judges picked out Mr Evan’s soca tune to take the top prize — and a promotional package worth more than $5,000.

Intense Mas band leader Russell Griffith, also known as DJ Rusty G, said he was surprised with the number of submissions received in the competition’s first year.

“It was incredible to see such a response from Bermuda’s artists,” he said. “There’s so much talent out there and I’m glad that this contest was able to help inspire our artists to create great music for the people this summer. As Bermuda Carnival grows, it’s really important for us to have Soca music that we can call our own.”

Heather Whalen, director of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, congratulated Cush Evans on his victory, saying: “The Department was excited to partner with Intense for such a creative initiative. The competition certainly helped foster increased creativity from Bermudian artists and an appreciation for local talent. We look forward to seeing how these very talented Bermudian musicians continue in years to come.”

The Intense Mas team expect support for Run Road to grow more as they approach Bermuda Heroes Weekend in June. Meanwhile, supporters can hear more from Mr Evans on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/theonlycushevans/run-road or by following him through his Facebook or Instragram channels.