The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is currently accepting entries for the 2021 staging of the Jamaica Festival Song Competition. The competition, which regained international popularity last year with Reggae superstar Buju Banton’s win, is Jamaica’s longest running professional song competition and has produced many notable Reggae artistes over its almost six decades.
“We are excited for this upcoming staging of the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, as it will be the first one being held completely virtually, from entry to final show, in keeping with our National social distancing protocols due to the COVID 19 Pandemic,” said the Hon Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport.
“This is our nation’s longest running original song competition and the winning song will drive our upcoming Jamaica 59 Independence Celebrations, so entries should encapsulate the Jamaican spirit, generate public interest and patriotism and ignite the country, bringing us together to celebrate as one,” Minister Grange said.
“This competition is open to all Jamaican artistes, at home and abroad, and so this year we look forward again to a good mixture of established and emerging artistes competing for the top song that will rock the nation,” she concluded.
Persons interested in entering the 2021 competition may do so via the JCDC’s online platform at www.jcdc.gov.jm. Participants should note that they will need to upload a lyric sheet and their entry song in a MP3 file format, which should be four minutes or less. The Jamaica Festival Song competition carries an entry fee of $1,000 JMD per entry.
“We are charging a small fee of $1000 for the Festival Song Competition as it is the only professional competition on the JCDC slate. Just like last year, we are looking forward to having some very big names in the music industry participating, as the level of interest shown so far has been very good. I want to wish all the participants in all the competitions the best of luck – may their dreams be fulfilled," Minister Grange said.
The Jamaica Festival Song Competition, which started in 1966, has helped to launch and advance careers of some of Jamaica’s acclaimed singers and songwriters. Winners of the competition have included Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, Eric Donaldson, Roy Rayon, Buju Banton and Stanley Beckford.
The deadline for entry for the Jamaica Festival Song Cmpetition is Monday, May 31, 2021.
