Caribbean Music Awards set for regional debut tonight

After three years in Brooklyn, New York, the Caribbean Music Awards (CMAs) are coming home. Tonight, the awards ceremony will be staged in the Caribbean for the first time, trading its New York base for Trinidad and Tobago’s National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA).

For an event built around recognising the music of the region, the move has been part of the vision from the beginning, according to Caribbean Music Awards spokesperson Paige de Leon. But it was a visit to Trinidad and Tobago by co-founder Dane Taylor that helped determine both the timing and destination.

“It had always been a part of the vision, for the awards to come to the region and reconnect with the soil,” de Leon told The Gleaner.

She said Taylor was impressed by the country’s culture, NAPA and its existing event infrastructure. The willingness of the state sector to support the awards also factored into the decision.

During the visit, Taylor met potential talent, partners, producers and creatives who could become involved in the production.

But bringing the awards to the Caribbean is about more than finding a new venue.

De Leon pointed to the increasing international reach of Caribbean music, including growing interest in sounds such as jab and bouyon, as part of the reason organisers believe the timing is right.

“A big part of this mission for the CMAs is to determine from within what we celebrate, what is excellent, what has merit and what we need to communicate to the world about ourselves,” she said.

At international ceremonies such as the Grammy Awards, reggae and dancehall releases compete together under the Best Reggae Album category. The Caribbean Music Awards, however, recognise the two genres separately.

“We understand clearly that while the two genres are born in Jamaica, we recognise that they represent two different sensibilities and are the expression of different generations of people,” de Leon said, “Those differences matter because we are creating the framework for what we celebrate as Caribbean music.”

She pointed to soca and calypso as another example, noting that although both come from Trinidad and Tobago, they are recognised separately.

That distinction is reflected in tonight’s nominations.

Chronixx’s Exile; Lila Iké’s Treasure Self Love; Jesse Royal’s No Place Like Home; Keznamdi’s BLXXD & FYAH; I-Octane’s God and I; Jamdown by Sanchez; and Duane Stephenson’s Weekend Dude sit among the eight releases nominated for Reggae Album of the Year.

Over in Dancehall Album of the Year, Vybz Kartel’s Viking; Masicka’s Her Name Is Love; Popcaan’s Nothing Without God; and Ding Dong’s From Ding Dong to World Ding are among those in contention.

Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Koffee, Romain Virgo, Alaine, Sevana and Lila Iké are among those in the reggae artiste categories, while Vybz Kartel, Masicka, Shenseea, Shaneil Muir and Spice feature in the dancehall fields.

Among tonight’s special honorees is dancehall veteran Patra, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“The CMAs team chose Patra because she was a trailblazer who helped take Caribbean music to the world, her impact opened doors for generations of women in Caribbean music, and this is our opportunity to show her the love that we feel for her,” de Leon said.

She said the organisers also wanted to recognise Patra’s consistency and resilience, adding, “She has embraced her own evolution and continue[s] to make music. We want to acknowledge that.” Dancehall icon Rodney ‘Bounty Killer’ Price received the Lifetime Achievement Award last year.

Shyne will receive the Global Ambassador Award, while Alan Cavé and Calypso Rose will receive the Elite Kompa Award and Elite Calypso Award, respectively.

First held in Brooklyn in 2023, the Caribbean Music Awards have grown over three stagings. For de Leon, bringing the ceremony to the region also provides an opportunity to showcase its event-production capabilities.

“We have always produced world-class events here; now we can export them, now we can show off our excellence with ease,” she said.

Whether Trinidad and Tobago becomes the first stop in a rotation of Caribbean destinations remains undecided. De Leon said organisers will assess this year’s staging, the response and available infrastructure across the region before determining the awards’ next move.

entertainment@gleanerjm.con