Jamaica Festival Song finalists released for Independence season

The public in Jamaica and overseas can now listen to the 10 tracks vying to be named the country’s next Festival anthem. The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, acting through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, issued the entries on Friday, giving listeners their first chance to assess the songs being put forward for this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

“The songs have now been released, and I am encouraging Jamaicans at home and abroad to become familiar with them and support this year's competition. While the names of the finalists were announced last week, the public can now hear the songs and begin rallying behind their favourites as the search gets under way for Jamaica's next Festival anthem,” said Grange. She said the selections are on the Reggae Jamaica App and are also to be placed on major digital streaming services.

Before the winner is named, the finalists will appear at several public events. They are booked for the Universal Service Fund’s USF Connec’ Di West Road Tour on Friday, June 19, at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay, St James, starting at 3 p.m. The artistes are also slated for the Bank of Jamaica Lunch Hour Concert on Friday, June 26, at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Festival Song Presentation Show on Saturday, July 11, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, which will be carried live on Television Jamaica.

The finalists are Aba Jones with Teet A Fi Me; Elton Earlington with Proud a Jamaica; Melbourne Douglas, also called D Burns, with I Love Jamaica; Ovando Levy with Jamaica School (Bingi Ling); Tricia Cunningham with I am Jamaican; Junior McCalla with I’m From Jamaica; Solomon Walters with Jamaica Woie; Beverley Henry with Jamaica Pon Di App; Christina Evans with Jamaica a fiwi island; and Latanya Stampp with My Jamaica, Land of Festivals.

The competition’s results show is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew. The event begins at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on TVJ.