New format unveiled for Sterling Gospel Music Awards

For its 2026 staging, the Sterling Gospel Music Awards (SGMA) will see an exciting change of format from a physical, live ceremony to a national television broadcast on Television Jamaica (TVJ). That was the major announcement coming out of Thursday’s media briefing at the R Hotel Kingston, as organisers prepare to celebrate an amazing 10 years of saluting excellence across the entire spectrum of the gospel landscape.

The full house of sponsors, supporters and media personnel seemed to welcome this “transition”, which SGMA founder and director Basillia Barnaby-Cuff said, “represents an evolution of the platform rather than a departure from the experience Sterling has built over the past decade”. Producing an awards show of this magnitude as a made-for-television format is a mammoth task, and Barnaby-Cuff and her team appear well prepared.

The founder noted that this new format “allows Sterling to reach significantly more people than could ever be accommodated inside one venue” and emphasised that “this is not about making Sterling smaller … it is about expanding its reach, increasing visibility”.

Barnaby-Cuff has locked in the Heroes holiday weekend for the Sterling Gospel Music Awards 10th Anniversary Television Broadcast Special which premières on Sunday, October 18. The Special will also be streamed on TVJ’s YouTube platform.

The Sterling Awards was first staged in 2017 at Heritage Hall in Mandeville, with its founder and her husband recalling an audience of about 50 people. The gospel awards show later moved to Kingston, where its live audience has grown over the years, peaking at about 1,000.

BRANCHING OUT

Barnaby-Cuff told The Gleaner that “the prospect of branching out is most exciting”.

“We have cemented Sterling as a Jamaican brand of excellence, and the fact that other countries are looking to our little island and saying ‘Bwoy, we want something like Sterling’. I think that has made it very exciting for us … and also the fact that we are going in a different direction and we are positive about the level of excellence that we will continue to bring,” Barnaby-Cuff shared.

There are also other elements that the media professional and content creator is happy about, including the fact that the Sterling sponsors and those who are a part of the team “continue to believe in the vision and ride the wave with us”.

Barnaby-Cuff explained that the decision to change the format wasn’t made on a whim.

“We have been thinking about it over the years, but we have never really felt like it was the right time to do it this way. When we started planning in 2026, we decided that 10 being a monumental year and a significant number, we wanted to do it this year,” she said, adding that she was particularly grateful for her partners’ support during this period.

Representatives from her sponsors, the long-serving KFC Jamaica, and the newer Credit Unions of Jamaica, pledged their full support.

“In terms of execution, we are getting it done,” Barnaby-Cuff said confidently, pointing out that “it is not about the expenses … it’s about the impact and the reach”.

“When we can have it in a physical space with a thousand persons, doing it this way, we are sure of getting the numbers that we want to achieve … in terms of getting the eyes that we want to be on Sterling. It’s not just locally, it’s not just regionally, it is also internationally,” Barnaby-Cuff said.

For now, however, the focus is on executing another excellent event, which will be complemented by the Sterling All-White Watch Party, described as an exclusive, invitation-only gathering of nominees, performers, sponsors, media representatives, industry leaders and specially invited guests.

A press release outlined that the milestone broadcast will include the ‘A Decade of Excellence’ tribute, recognising visionaries, pioneers, past award recipients and key contributors who have helped shape Sterling over its first 10 years.

“The anniversary staging will also introduce Legacy Awards and a Hall of Recognition, honouring individuals and organisations whose contributions have made a significant impact on gospel music and ministry,” the release said.

Veteran broadcasters will be honoured this year, but Barnaby-Cuff kept the names close to her chest, opting for the big reveal as the date approaches.

“We started Sterling in year one by honouring a veteran broadcaster, and so we will be going back to that format,” Barnaby-Cuff told The Gleaner.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com