Romain Virgo, Shenseea And Bugle Emerged As Big Winners At Caribbean Music Awards 2025
Jamaican artists Romain Virgo and Shenseea walked away as the big winners on Thursday night (August 28) at the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards, held at the iconic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Virgo fended off his heavyweight peers like Buju Banton, Sizzla Kalonji, Tarrus Riley, Gramps Morgan, Anthony B, Pressure Busspipe, and YG Marley, to cop the Male Reggae Artist of the Year award.
Shenseea sashayed away with the Female Dancehall Artist of the Year award beating top contenders like Spice, Jada Kingdom, Stefflon Don, Vanessa Bling, Shaneil Muir, and Stalk Ashley. The Hit and Run singer took to her Instagram stories to thank God, her “Shenyengs”, and showed off her trophy.
The award adds to an exciting year for Shenseea, who recently featured alongside Mariah Carey and Kehlani on the globally successful track Sugar Sweet.
Reggae singer Bugle also emerged as a big winner as his song Thank You Lord with Buju Banton and Damian Marley won in the Reggae Collaboration of the Year category from a field of nominees, which also included Been There Before by Romain Virgo and Masicka, Fry Plantain by Lila Ike and Joey Bada$$, Bruises by Mortimer featuring Kabaka Pyramid and Lila Ike, and I Love Rastafari by Imeru Tafari and Queen Ifrica.
The event was marked by vibrant performances and a celebration of the region’s top musical talent, honoring artists across dancehall, reggae, soca, calypso, bouyon, and beyond.
Here are the winners of this year’s event at the King’s Theater in Brooklyn. The awards will air on BET on Sept. 12th.
Female Artists of the Year
Three powerhouse women each took home the coveted Female Artist of the Year title in their respective genres:
- Shenseea – Dancehall Artist of the Year – Female
- Lila Iké – Reggae Artist of the Year – Female
- Patrice Roberts – Soca Artist of the Year – Female
Male Artists of the Year
On the male side, the spotlight was shared by three standouts:
- Valiant – Dancehall Artist of the Year – Male
- Romain Virgo – Reggae Artist of the Year – Male
- Skinny Fabulous – Soca Artist of the Year – Male
Iconic Honors
The night also paid tribute to industry pioneers and legends:
Busta Rhymes received the Elite Icon Award, underscoring his trailblazing contributions as a Caribbean-rooted global superstar.
Bounty Killer was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his decades of influence on dancehall and reggae.
Austin “Super Blue” Lyons was saluted with the Calypso Honors, a nod to his lasting legacy in the art form.
DJ Khaled attends 2025 Caribbean Music Awards on August 28, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Special Recognitions
Producer Honors: Kerwin Du Bois
Humanitarian Award: Sizzla Youth Foundation
Gospel Excellence: Shirleyann Cyril-Mayers
Legacy Honors: Haitian band Carimi
Notable Wins
Reggae Collaboration of the Year: Bugle for “Thank You Lord” featuring Buju Banton and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
Bouyon Artist of the Year: The Bouyon Boys
Bouyon Collaborator of the Year: Lady Lava