Diverse mix among 10 songs for 2022 Festival Song Competition – Grange | Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The 10 songs that have been selected for this year’s Jamaica Festival Song Competition are a mixture of dancehall, the old-time traditional festival song style, and the new generation music sound, cays Culture and Entertainment Minister, Olivia Grange.

That outline, as well as the names of the 10 finalists, were made by Grange at a virtual press conference on Thursday, to provide details of the event.

The annual competition, which forms part of Jamaica’s Emancipation and Independence Day celebrations, was initially cancelled last month due to the poor standard of the more than 120 entries then.

However, public outrage at that decision by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport led to the resumption of applications for the competition for just a week. More than 200 entries were received during that extension period.

“I think, in this instance, because of the controversy, it generated more interest, so we were able to get a lot of publicity just because of the controversy, and that may have been why more interest was generated, that would have included persons from the music industry,” Grange indicated.

The songs and finalists that were eventually selected are: I’m A Proud Jamaican by Magic; Nuh Weh Nice Like Yard by Sacaj; Diamond Jubilee by Orkid; Jamaica Sweet Again by Dez I Boyd; Jamaica Nice Again by Inspiyah; Defend Jamaica by Nitty Kutchie; Out Of Many by Nazzleman; Sixty (Anniversary Time) by One1; Rock To Da Beat by Intrestt; and Bring Back The Love by Stamp.

According to Grange, some of the songs selected were part of the previous set which were originally shortlisted before the competition was to have been cancelled.

“The 10 songs that were selected were selected from new entries, as well as the panel decided to go back and review the shortlist that was initially selected for review.

“.. And so, a combination of entries from the first set that was shortlisted and new entries that came in when we reopened, has given us a combination of the 10 songs that we now have,” outlined Grange.

In commenting on the genre of songs, the minister said they are diverse and would appeal to both young and older persons.

She said the songs have “the dancehall and the old-time vibe, and the new generation (music sound).

“It’s really a diverse mix of songs, and that I think it a very clean competition. And what is reflected in these songs is this patriotism and love for Jamaica, and wanting to see Jamaica (be) great,” Grange informed.

Meanwhile, she disclosed that the 2022 Jamaica Festival Song winner will be determined following two televised shows on July 14 and July 28.

The finale to crown the winner of the event is to take place on the latter date at the Independence Village at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

The winner will then be selected after the tabulation of the judges’ scores and voting by Jamaicans and members of the diaspora.

“We will open for voting on the Reggae Jamaica app, and the Reggae Jamaica app will be opened for voting by the diaspora, and no one source can vote more than five times for the day,” Grange explained.

“There is a cap on the number of votes that can be polled by any one person, individual or source,” she added.

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