BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM
The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Festival Song Competition announced their 2020 top 10 finalists on Television Jamaica, Wednesday, June 10th, leaving everyone excited. This year’s festival finalist includes some leading names in entertainment.
Since 1966, the Jamaica Festival Song Competition has been cemented in the landscape of Jamaican music-culture, and today is the longest-running original song contest in Jamaica. The competition has become a showground: for aspiring artists, songwriters and producers to showcase their talents. The competition aims to find a new and original song that is reflective of the spirit of the Jamaican people.
The song provides a musical backdrop for the annual celebration of Jamaica’s Emancipation and Independence and should: stir a feeling of celebration and should be about Jamaica or Jamaican Culture. The rhythm must be Jamaican, and the sound should generate mass appeal.
Toots and the Maytals, Eric Donaldson, Desmond Decker, Roy Rayon and Stanley Beckford are some of the past winners who have gone on to make their mark globally.
This year, the top 10 finalist includes Grammy Award-winning artiste Buju Banton with his entry “I am Jamaican,” Nazzleman with “Jamaica nice,” Freddie McGregor song titles “Tun up the sound,” Toots & The Maytals with “Rise up Jamaicans,” Papa Michigan “Jamaica dance,” LUST “Wave di flag,” Actress and TV personality Sakina Deer with “We are Jamaicans,” Shuga with “One People,” Radix OD, song titles “The place to be,” and extra Bigg with “Jamaica a paradise.”
The big reveal was made during Television Jamaica’s virtual launch, which sent social media into a frenzy. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange was the person selected to announce the names of the ten finalists. “It’s a mixture of experience, youth, veteran and beauty queen.” says Professor Donna Hope (Professor of Culture, Gender and Society at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica and Founder and Executive Director of the Dancehall Archive and Research Initiative).
Minister Olivia Grange also added that she is happy that the competition is now generating interest once again by people in the industry.
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