Jamaica Festival Song Competition Continuing a Legacy of Musical Excellence

The Jamaica Festival Song Competition carries with it a long and storied tradition of musical excellence, attracting thousands of artistes over multiple decades and eras of Jamaican popular music.

The competition is organised annually by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

Many artistes compete to have the winning song that will define Jamaica’s period of celebration from Emancipation Day, August 1 to Independence Day, August 6.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, tells JIS News that the competition is the longest running original song contest in the country and one of the longest running music festivals in the world at 62 years.

“That speaks volumes to Jamaica being able to promote an activity for so long. It  may have its ups and downs, but it has always been very dear to the people, and I see it continuing for a long time. We may have to sometimes look at how we revamp it, but Jamaicans look forward to the Festival Song Competition,” she notes.

The competition has, over many decades, seen entries from artistes who have gone on to become locally and internationally acclaimed musicians.

“The competition has become an extremely important platform for the launch of careers and for regularising creatives. In the past, there have been well-known and established artistes who have entered and come through the Festival Song Competition and have become international names. The late Toots Hibbert, and even Bob Marley, entered the competition at one time,” notes Minister Grange.

To put entrants on the path to establish sustainable careers in the music industry, the Ministry ensures that all finalists in the competition are part of the formal sector.

“We are making sure that [they] are… members of a performer rights society, that their songs are properly published and protected, that the producers become members of the Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS),” notes Minister Grange.

She says that the competition also serves as a training ground. Participants with less experience benefit from performance and vocal lessons throughout the competition as they develop their professional careers.

“Those who enter and consider themselves professionals, there are many times that they’re not as organised and as structured as they should be, so we use the opportunity to assist them to be regularised. So, it’s not just about fun or the excitement of entering a competition but it’s also about becoming a professional or getting the support as a professional to boost your career,” says the Entertainment Minister.

Songs from the contest are compiled into an album each year at the end of the competition and made available for streaming across all music platforms and submitted for consideration at the annual Grammy Awards.

“We have been very successful in at least getting the attention of Grammy organisers and the members of the Recording Academy three years straight. We’re hoping that we will be considered again, and one day, not just considered but will be nominated,” says Minister Grange.

The top-10 finalists for the 2025 Jamaica Festival Song Competition will vie for the coveted title and attractive prizes at Emancipation Park in Kingston on Saturday (July 26) beginning at 8:30 p.m.

The finalists are Askia Livingstone  – “Nation Vow”; Romane Ingram – “Deh Pon Mi Mind”; Oliver Ashley – “Jamaica You Have It All”; Jonah Jack – “Vision Jamaica”; Abigail Dunstan – ‘Sweet Ja”; Raldene Dyer – “Jam Dung”; Julene Clarke – “A Jam Dung Dis”; Bredda C & Jegz – “Come Mek Wi Rally”; Christopher Laing –“Jamaica is Big Big Everywhere”; and Randeen Thomas – “Naah Leave”.

“We have 10 good songs, and the genres and styles vary with each performer. Of course, the base is reggae, but some of them have more of a revival or gospel flair, and some of a kind of deejay style. The competitors include the young, the middle-aged and the not so young, and there are people from deep rural Jamaica. All the songs are good, and the judges will have a difficult time,” says Minister Grange.

She adds that the competition has a history of fostering a sense of camaraderie among the entrants.

“They dance to each other’s songs and they cheer each other along, which shows that the competition also creates a bond between the competitors, which was the concept of the festival – to create something that will be on the lips of every man, woman and child, and that would rally and bring people together, and it has,” notes Minister Grange.

The results show for the 2025 Jamaica Festival Song Competition is free to enter and will be broadcast live on Television Jamaica (TVJ) as well as the social media pages of the JCDC.