Jamaica Festival Song Top Ten Heading For Streaming Services

The top ten entries in the 2020 Jamaica Festival Song Competition will be made available on popular music streaming services.

All ten entries are now available for pre-order on iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon Music, while Spotify and Deezer users will be able to stream on Friday, July 3.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, announced plans the plans today.  She said, “I’m really happy to announce that we’re going to be on Amazon, Spotify, and all these other platforms, for the first time.”

The songs are being distributed by VP Records’ VPal Music.

Minister Grange said the development “will make the songs available worldwide and what it will do is expand the stage; the world is now our stage for the Jamaica Festival Song competition. It is historic.”

The decision to make the top ten entries available on streaming services is part of Minister Grange’s initiative to revitalize Jamaica Festival.

The 10 finalists in the competition were announced on June 16 by Minister Grange.  They include Reggae icons Freddie McGregor, Toots & The Maytals and Buju Banton, as well as popular artistes Papa Michigan, Nazzle Man, L.U.S.T. (featuring Lukie D, Thriller U, Singing Melody & Tony Curtis); Rising Stars winner Shuga, upcoming dancehall artistes Xtra Bigg and Radix OD, as well as the actress and television presenter, Sakina.

The inclusion of veteran entertainers was also aimed at rebranding and renewing the Song Competition.  But there was some pushback from participants who claimed it was unfair the veterans qualified without audition.

Minister Grange explained, “Jamaica Festival used to ignite the country and bring the nation together in such a beautiful way. We want to bring back that feeling of national unity and hope. We have made tremendous strides, but we have more to do.”

In keeping with restrictions on public gatherings because of the covid-19 pandemic, the usual island-wide road shows and public performances by the Festival Song finalists will not be held this year.

Instead, the Ministry has engaged national radio and television stations and has been using social media to bring the finalists and their entries to the public.

The winning Jamaica Festival Song for 2020 will be decided on July 26 by popular vote.