Jamaica Festival Song Competition Results Show for July 25

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, speaks at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) 'Think Tank', on July 24. (Photo by Donald De La Haye)

 

Jamaicans are being invited to turn out in their numbers for the live results show of the 2026 Jamaica Festival Song Competition, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston on July 25, beginning at 8:30 p.m.

 

The competition, now in its 60 th year, is organised annually by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) as part of activities leading up to Independence Day, August 6.

 

This year, Jamaica will celebrate 64 years of Independence under the theme ‘United in Celebrating Resilience’.

 

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, told a JIS Think Tank on Friday (July 24) that the winning festival song will set the tone for this year’s Independence celebrations.

 

“[It] kicks off the period… . We select the song that we hope will be on the lips of every man, woman and child during the celebrations. We now have nine contestants in the competition, [and] we have some really interesting and some very good songs and performers. This year…we're particularly proud,” Minister Grange said.

 

The competition attracted 189 entries this year from songwriters and performers across the island.

 

Ms. Grange pointed to the rich history of the competition as a unifying cultural institution that has given a platform to generations of Jamaican musicians.

 

“The concept was introduced by the late prime minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, and he wanted something that would bring everybody together, something that [everyone] could identify with,” she noted.

“We have had some well-known and world-renowned Jamaican artistes who have been a part of it. Everybody knows Toots and the Maytals, who won several years, and Eric Donaldson [for] one of the biggest songs, ‘Cherry Oh Baby’. Bob Marley [has] entered and Rita Marley entered as well,” Minister Grange added.

 

The Rita Marley Foundation will be supporting this year’s competition by offering the winner the opportunity to record at the legendary Tuff Gong Studios.

 

There is also a cash prize of $3 million, shared among the winning performer, songwriter and producer.

 

“The winner who is selected may take all because [they] may be the producer, the songwriter, as well as the performer,” Minister Grange noted.

 

The results show is free to the public and will also be broadcast live on Television Jamaica (TVJ), the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) and on the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) YouTube page.

 

“People are invited to come and be a part of selecting the song that will rock the celebrations through to the 6th of August,” said Minister Grange.

 

Voting for the competition will close at midday on Saturday, July 25 and is open to Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora.

 

“[It] is a mix of voting across the two telecoms platforms as well as on the Reggae Jamaica mobile app. The Jamaican diaspora vote via the Reggae Jamaica mobile app.

 

Locally, you can use your telephone and call the numbers that are advertised to vote for your favourite song in the competition,” the Minister noted.

 

“I'm encouraging everyone to participate and make this one of the most exciting years that we have had in the festival song competition,” she added.

By Jermi-Lee Nelson