dBurnz Takes 2026 Festival Song Crown With ‘I Love Jamaica’

dBurnz has claimed the 2026 Jamaica Festival Song title with the patriotic entry ‘I Love Jamaica’. The win was sealed at the Jamaica Festival Song Competition grand finale on Saturday, July 25, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St. Andrew.

The track will lead national festivities marking Jamaica’s 64th Independence anniversary this year. Hon. Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, handed the artiste the $3 million top award and the championship trophy.

Melbourne Douglas, the Clarendon-born performer better known as dBurnz, also took the Best Performer sectional award, worth a further $200,000. Music educator Ovando Levy finished second with ‘Jamaica School (Bingi Ling)’ and collected $600,000. Aba Jones came third with ‘Teet A Fi Me’, earning $300,000.

Chief Judge Roy Rayon, himself a past festival song champion, said the victor’s work must capture Independence pride and festivity. “The festival song is supposed to be the pulse, the metronome of the independence celebrations so we are looking for a song that dances, a song that has lyrics that are relevant, a song that the entire population can coalesce around,” he said.

Minister Grange praised the nine finalists for their strong showings. “I want to big up all nine contestants and say to them it has been a good experience for you so even if your song is not the winning song, you are still a winner,” she said.

She added that energy from this year’s contest will roll into 2027, when Jamaica marks 65 years of Independence — a landmark anniversary. “It will also be the last Grand Gala before we build out the new stadium,” she said.

Looking back on six decades of the Festival Song Competition, Minister Grange said “it has been a wonderful journey and has exposed many Jamaican talents.” Among earlier entrants were reggae legends Bob Marley and Rita Marley.

The Ministry stages the contest each year through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). It remains a central fixture of the Independence season ahead of August 6. Reggae artiste Duane Stephenson delivered a guest set at the finale. Jamaica’s Independence observance this year carries the theme ‘United in Celebrating Resilience’.