Jamaican-Canadian artist Naomi Cowan has achieved a monumental career milestone with her debut album “Welcome to Paradise” receiving the prestigious Reggae Recording of the Year honor at the 2026 JUNO Awards. The ceremony, marking its 50th anniversary, took place at Hamilton’s TD Coliseum in Ontario, where Cowan accepted the award for her 12-track collection that triumphed over four other nominated works in the category.
During her emotional acceptance speech, Cowan expressed profound gratitude to producer Toddla T, her renowned reggae musician parents Tommy Cowan and Carlene Davis, and her management team. She dedicated the award to the reggae genre itself, stating: ‘It has been the honor of my life to be a reggae artist. Reggae is a genre that has healed thousands of people around the world and has transcended many boundaries.’
The victory marks the tenth time a female artist has won this category throughout the awards’ history. Notable previous winners include Liberty Silver (1985), Lillian Allen (1986, 1989), Carla Marshall (1995), Nana McLean (1997), Sonia Collymore (2003, 2005), Elaine ‘Lil Bit’ Shepherd (2011), and Tome (2021). The category has undergone several name changes since its inception, previously being recognized as Best Reggae/Calypso Recording and Best Reggae Recording.
The ceremony featured touching moments of celebration as Canadian R&B singer Jully Black (of Jamaican descent) and rapper/producer Saukrates—who earlier won Rap Single of the Year—rose to applaud Cowan’s achievement, highlighting the strong Caribbean influence within Canada’s music community.