Saint Lucia’s entertainment industry pioneers are launching the inaugural Iyanola Awards, a groundbreaking digital ceremony designed to honor exceptional contributions to popular culture throughout the past year. This innovative awards program distinguishes itself through its unique democratic voting system that empowers the public to directly determine winners across 20 distinct categories.
Conceptualized by music and entertainment professionals seeking to recognize their peers’ achievements, the awards have evolved from a simple industry acknowledgment into a sophisticated production. Internationally acclaimed Saint Lucian artist Sedale Simei, the visionary behind the initiative, revealed to St. Lucia Times how the project has significantly expanded in scope and production quality.
“We’ve progressively enhanced the production value, culminating in this year’s comprehensive rollout featuring nominee announcement videos and public voting mechanisms,” Simei explained. The voting process, accessible through a dedicated online platform, includes categories spanning Best Artiste, Best Fete, Best Newcoming Artiste, and recognition for content creators.
The awards’ revolutionary approach transfers decision-making power from traditional industry committees to the general public. Simei emphasizes this democratic foundation as the program’s core strength: “The fascinating aspect of the Iyanola Awards is that the public exclusively determines the winners. This structure genuinely represents the people’s voice rather than being constrained by selective committee criteria.”
Simei characterizes this inaugural event as a pilot project within a broader vision to celebrate Saint Lucia’s creative community. While acknowledging potential initial imperfections, the organizers have committed to expanding categories in future iterations to include underrepresented entertainment professions such as interior designers, nail technicians, and makeup artists.
The voting period concludes on January 2, followed by an online announcement of winners. In a commitment to transparency, the organization will disclose the actual voting tallies alongside the results. This transparency initiative reinforces the awards’ dedication to authentic public representation in recognizing artistic excellence.