Kingston, Jamaica – Recording artiste dBURNZ has been crowned the winner of the 2026 Jamaica Festival Song Competition after his patriotic anthem, I Love Jamaica, captured top honours during the landmark 60th anniversary final at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Saturday night. The victory earned the performer the coveted Festival Song title, the Best Performer Award and a share of the $3 million grand prize, cementing his place among the competition's distinguished list of champions.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, described I Love Jamaica as a fitting winner for the competition's 60th anniversary and said the success of this year's staging had set the stage for an expanded Festival Song Competition as Jamaica prepares to celebrate its 65th anniversary of Independence next year.
"As we celebrate 60 years of Festival Song, we have selected a song that says what every Jamaican feels – I Love Jamaica. Tonight marks the step forward as we move the competition to the next level," Minister Grange said.
She announced that plans are already in the pipeline to enhance the competition for next year's Jamaica 65 celebrations through increased prize money, new innovations and continued efforts to secure international recognition, including the pursuit of a Grammy nomination for the Festival Song album.
Moments after being announced the winner, an emotional dBURNZ, whose real name is Melbourne Douglas, admitted that despite believing in his performance, he could not convince himself he had won until he heard his name called.
"I was really nervous backstage. I knew I did my best, but there were so many good songs and performances. Until they called my name, I just didn't know," he said.
For dBURNZ, the victory represents the culmination of a lifelong musical journey that began in his childhood home in Linstead, St. Catherine, where he and his siblings transformed a doorknob into a make-believe microphone as they dreamed of performing before audiences.
Those dreams eventually took him from the Glenmuir High School choir to major stages across Jamaica, international performances in the United Kingdom, Suriname and Haiti, and most recently a six-month engagement in the Bob Marley Hope Road production in Las Vegas. Ironically, it was while living overseas that his appreciation for home deepened, giving even greater meaning to the message behind I Love Jamaica.
The winning song was written by dBURNZ together with Mark Anthony Reid and Dale Brown, and produced by dBURNZ. The $3 million prize will be shared equally among the performer, songwriter and producer.
The emotional victory was shared by dBURNZ's father, Melbourne Douglas Sr., who recalled his son's confidence before the results were announced.
"When he looked at me, he said, 'Daddy, I'm going to win.' I told him I would support him to the end. My emotions run deep tonight. Believe me."
Second place went to Ovando Levy with Jamaica School (Bingi Ling), while Aba Jones secured third place with Teet a Fi Me. With the competition now concluded, I Love Jamaica takes its place as the official Festival Song for 2026 and will provide the soundtrack to the Jamaica 64 Independence celebrations across the island from August 1 to 6.
