For emerging writers, navigating a landscape dotted with constant rejection, every nod of recognition carries far more meaning than just an award nod — it is validation that their creative voice and chosen path matter. For St. Lucian writer Tresha Lionel, that validation came recently when she spotted her name on the longlist for the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize, marking the second time her work has earned a place among the competition’s standout entries.\n\n”I was really happy about it… It’s a sort of validation that I’m on the right path,” Lionel shared in an interview with local outlet St Lucia Times, reflecting on the moment she learned of her longlisting. Lionel knows firsthand how unforgiving the submission process can be for working writers. “Being a writer and sending in submissions can mean a lot of rejection, so any acceptance and recognition feels great,” she added.\n\nLionel’s first recognition from the prize came for her earlier work *God Don’t Need Long Pants*, a deeply personal narrative that centered on her grandmother’s illness and the heavy emotional toll it placed on her entire family. Today, as she pursues a Master’s degree in Creative Writing, her work remains firmly rooted in the lived experiences, communities, and landscapes that shaped her growing up in Vieux Fort’s Shanty Town neighborhood. All of her stories draw from the people, spaces and quiet, overlooked moments she has known intimately.\n\nThe longlisted story at the center of her latest recognition is *A Soft Place*, a nuanced narrative that follows a woman’s lifelong, evolving search for safety that begins in early childhood and unfolds across decades of adulthood. At the core of the story is the thematic exploration of “softness” — a concept Lionel frames as both a literal and symbolic journey toward emotional safety, rest, love, and an escape from cycles of violence. \n\n”I write about memory, survival and joy in our ordinary lives and the deeper truths held within them. I focus on community. As a writer, I think I’m really an observer trying to make sense of the world around me,” Lionel explained of her creative focus. “Certain themes are really important to me. Softness, for example, is a theme because it operates as both a literal and symbolic pursuit by representing emotional safety, rest, love and escape from violence. I write it in because I think in the end we all seek and want some softness.”\n\nWeaving between past and present, across rural and urban regions of Saint Lucia, the narrative unpacks how family bonds, collective memory and community ties shape the search for personal comfort. It also confronts a universal, underdiscussed reality: that the spaces and people we perceive as safe can be taken from us, or shift irreversibly, over the course of a lifetime.\n\nAnother core layer of the story explores the tension between Kwéyòl (Saint Lucian Creole) and standard English — a dynamic Lionel experienced growing up firsthand. Her grandmother spoke only Kwéyòl, but the language was actively discouraged in formal school settings. For Lionel, this contrast is not merely about language itself; it is a broader exploration of cultural identity and which forms of knowledge are deemed valuable by dominant institutions. It is this kind of quiet, deeply felt, often overlooked detail of everyday Caribbean life that she prioritizes capturing in her prose.\n\nBreaking down the story’s core arc in her own words, Lionel explained: “My story, *A Soft Place*, traces a woman’s lifelong search for safety, comfort, and emotional refuge. Beginning in childhood, she associates softness with her mother’s hair and body. As she grows, these sources of comfort are repeatedly taken away or transformed, forcing her to find new, often temporary, forms of refuge. The narrative moves between past and present, rural and urban Saint Lucia, between memory and reality and shows how cultural knowledge, family, language, and community shape her understanding of survival. As an adult, she navigates exhaustion, responsibility, and political possibility, returning finally to a fragile but real moment of connection. The story follows parts of my own life and my observations living in Shanty Town, Vieux Fort, working as a journalist, and engaging in Saint Lucia’s political landscape.”\n\nFor Lionel, this latest longlisting reinforces that the deeply personal, community-centered stories she chooses to tell resonate beyond the borders of her home island, earning a place on a global literary stage.
分类： entertainment
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Jamaican model serves raceday glamour in new campaign by British retailer Phase Eight
British women’s fashion retailer Phase Eight has launched a highly anticipated new collaborative campaign with iconic British venue Goodwood Racecourse, gearing up for the 2026 horse racing season. Leading the campaign as its official face is Jamaican fashion model Tami Williams, represented by global modeling agency SAINT International.
Shot by acclaimed fashion photographer Cristian Hunter, the campaign photoshoot took place at California’s legendary Santa Anita Racetrack earlier this year. Williams shares the spotlight with Dutch top model Julia Bergshoeff, as the pair showcases a curated line-up of race day-ready apparel and accessories tailored to Goodwood’s full racing calendar.
The co-branded collection centers on versatile occasionwear, designed to fit everything from opening day outings to high-profile festival gatherings at the iconic venue. Garment options span flowing maxi dresses, tailored midi silhouettes and classic wrap styles, embellished with on-trend details ranging from delicate floral prints and timeless navy polka dots to gradient ombré pleating. Completing the looks is a full range of coordinated accessories, including elegant bow clutch bags, structured high block sandals, textured twist headbands and traditional fascinators that align with longstanding racing fashion traditions.
In an exclusive interview with Observer Online, conducted while Williams was on location in Greece shooting an upcoming campaign for repeat client American retail brand Tuckernuck, the 25-year-old model opened up about the behind-the-scenes experience of the Phase Eight shoot. “We shot the Phase Eight campaign at the Santa Anita Racetrack in California in February,” Williams explained. “It was a really great day at the track, and it was especially interesting working with the horses. Their groomers were always on-set just off camera just in case they got too restless.”
With 12 years of experience working across the global fashion industry already under her belt, Williams noted that the collaboration with Bergshoeff brought a joyful cross-cultural dynamic to the set. Per SAINT International, the two models bonded over exchanging stories and insights about their respective home cultures of Jamaica and the Netherlands during breaks in filming.
For Goodwood Racecourse, the partnership marks another chapter in the venue’s centuries-long history. The Goodwood estate was originally purchased by the first Duke of Richmond, son of King Charles II, back in 1697, and the first public horse racing meet was hosted on the grounds in 1802. Today, the venue hosts a packed annual racing schedule that kicks off its 2025 season opening day on May 1, with additional major racing events scheduled across July, August and September, including the high-profile Qatar Goodwood Festival and the annual Autumn Racing series. Phase Eight holds the official title of Goodwood Races’ women’s wear partner for the 2025 season.
Founded in 1979 by designer Patsy Seddon as a single small boutique on London’s Wandsworth Common, Phase Eight has grown dramatically into a global retail brand. It now operates 106 standalone stores and 207 in-store concessions across the United Kingdom, with an additional 18 standalone locations and 128 concessions spread across Switzerland, Germany, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland.
Williams is not the first SAINT International model to front a Phase Eight campaign: she follows in the footsteps of Martiniquan model Aurelie Giraud, who featured in the British brand’s Summer 2025 collection advertising campaign last year.
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WATCH: Barbados Reggae Weekend ‘Legends of Reggae’ show a testament to genre’s longevity
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — One of the most beloved annual Caribbean cultural celebrations kicked off Friday night at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval, where a star-studded roster of reggae’s most enduring trailblazers drew a capacity crowd to open Barbados Reggae Weekend 2026, affirming the genre’s unwavering global popularity decades after its rise to international acclaim.
Titled the Mount Gay Legends of Reggae Show and Dance, the opening night event brought together iconic pioneers of the genre, including dancehall legend Super Cat, roots star Barrington Levy, vocalist JC Lodge, trailblazing deejay Sister Nancy, reggae artist Norris Man and fan favorite Biggie Irie. Local DJs rotated between pumping out classic reggae anthems and hyping the crowd between high-energy sets, keeping the energy high from the first act to the last.
Weeks of anticipation preceded the event, which sold out well in advance, and attendees who spoke with local outlet Observer Online shared what drew them to the stadium Friday night. Local Bajan resident Ricky Don told reporters, “I am here tonight to have a good time…I don’t have a favourite, I love everything. I would encourage the whole world to visit Barbados.”
Sharone, another attendee, shared that she never misses a reggae festival, and said she had been looking forward to Super Cat’s set for months. Dionne, a native of Jamaica’s May Pen Clarendon who relocated to Barbados in 1986, said she and her family have made an annual tradition out of attending the event, and she praised the lineup for delivering authentic Jamaican reggae. She named JC Lodge as her most anticipated performer of the night. For California native Theo, it is the unique atmosphere of the event that keeps him returning year after year. “It’s the vibe, the music and the artistes,” he explained of what draws him back to the festival.
Thousands of attendees echoed that enthusiasm, packing the standing-room-only concourse and filling nearly every reserved seat in the stadium to capacity. The veteran performers delivered exactly what fans came for, starting with Biggie Irie, whose renowned smooth vocals opened the show. He took a moment mid-set to honor Stephen “Cat” Coore, the legendary reggae guitarist and founding member of Third World who passed away earlier this year.
Sister Nancy, who broke barriers as a female deejay starting in the 1970s, brought her signature high energy to the stage, working the crowd with her classic deejay style before closing her set with her globally beloved mega-hit *Bam Bam*. Speaking to reporters after her performance, she reflected on her decades-long career and her enduring cross-generational popularity. “Young people always love Sister Nancy…I’ve been here since 1976…Don’t you hear what I say? Ain’t no stopping Nancy. I mean that,” she said.
JC Lodge, whose decades-spanning hit *Someone Loves You, Honey* had the entire stadium singing along in unison, also addressed reggae’s lasting legacy across the globe. She acknowledged that while the genre has millions of dedicated fans worldwide, it faces growing barriers to mainstream exposure in many major markets. “For example, I live in the United Kingdom and years ago…it was played on mainstream channels in the UK, but now not so much. You might hear Bob Marley, Sean Paul, but not much else,” she explained. Lodge noted that reggae is increasingly boxed into niche ethnic music categories in mainstream media, making it far harder for contemporary reggae artists to break through to widespread audiences. Against that backdrop, she called Barbados Reggae Weekend a vital celebration of the genre. “I am happy that there are events like this that still push reggae because there are still reggae fans out there and they wanna hear it.”
To the crowd’s delight, Lodge even peeled off layered outer pieces of her bright orange ensemble to reveal a pair of shorts for an energetic impromptu dance mid-set. Reflecting on the honor of performing on a stage dedicated to reggae’s legends, she added: “It’s great to be celebrated by fans, by the audience, because as an artiste, that’s what I am here for.”
As the night stretched into early Saturday morning, sets from Barrington Levy and headliner Super Cat sent the already excited crowd into a frenzy. Even a light intermittent drizzle did nothing to dampen the mood, with diehard fans choosing to stay in their spots and embrace the light rain rather than miss a minute of the performances.
After the final encore, attendees left the stadium glowing, with many praising the night as an instant classic. One young attendee summed up the general consensus, calling the lineup of veteran performers a “masterclass” in authentic reggae.
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Jamaican artisans to showcase craft at New Orleans Jazz Festival
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A pair of talented Jamaican craft creators from the Sandals Foundation’s Caribbean Artisan Collection Programme are gearing up to share their unique cultural work on an international stage at the 2025 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which will run from April 23 through May 3.
A public statement released Saturday confirmed that Dana Baugh and Omar “Sheldon” Daley, both natives of Jamaica’s Westmoreland parish, will join a five-person Jamaican craft delegation hosted in the festival’s Cultural Exchange Pavilion. The showcase is co-sponsored by Sandals Resorts and the Jamaica Tourist Board, marking a special year for the event: organizers have selected Jamaica as the festival’s featured nation, shining a cross-cultural spotlight on the island’s iconic music, vibrant culinary traditions and distinct creative arts.
Baugh, the creative mind behind BAUGHaus Design Studio, specializes in handcrafted porcelain tableware, decorative planters, and sculptural pieces that draw direct inspiration from the rhythms and details of daily Jamaican life. Per the release, all proceeds from sales of her work through the Sandals Foundation’s Caribbean Artisan Collection are funneled back into training and development programs for emerging local artisans across the region.
“When audiences engage with my work at the festival, I want them to feel a version of the Caribbean that is both thoughtfully elevated and deeply rooted in our lived experience,” Baugh shared. “This opportunity isn’t just about selling products—it’s about showing the world that our story extends far beyond sun, sand and sea. It’s a rich, layered narrative that we express beautifully through the objects we make and use every single day.”
For Daley, founder of FIRSTSTRAW Company, the invitation to the festival marks a full-circle milestone: he was one of the first artisans to join the Caribbean Artisan Programme back in 2018, when he received specialized product design and business development training from Sandals Resorts’ retail team. A third-generation thatch straw weaver who learned the craft from his mother, Daley’s work carries on traditional techniques rooted in Indigenous Taíno and African cultural heritage. He handcrafts a range of practical, decorative goods including woven bags, storage baskets and serving trays.
“Even as traditional basketry has declined across the region, there are still dozens of artisans committed to keeping this ancient craft alive,” Daley explained. “This opportunity isn’t just a win for me—it represents all the people and all the forms of support that got me and so many other creators to this point.”
The release also shed light on the significant barriers small Caribbean artisans often face, noting that Daley’s small production operation was severely disrupted by Hurricane Melissa, which damaged local infrastructure and cut off his reliable access to raw weaving materials. Targeted support from the Sandals Foundation, including the installation of an off-grid solar energy system for his workshop, helped him fully restore his production capacity within months.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, emphasized that the artisan development initiative is rooted in long-term investment in people and local communities.
“When we support artisans, we aren’t just preserving fading craft traditions—we are protecting livelihoods and strengthening entire local communities,” Clarke said. “We are incredibly honored to be part of Dana and Sheldon’s stories, and to watch them share their work with the world.”
Since the program launched in 2018, the Caribbean Artisan Collection Programme has supported more than 30 independent creators across nine Caribbean islands where Sandals Resorts operates. Program data shows participants have seen a measurable expansion in production output and a steady increase in regional and international sales since joining the initiative.
This year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is projected to draw roughly 500,000 attendees from across the United States and around the globe, making it a landmark opportunity for Jamaican creatives to access a much broader international consumer base. Beyond boosting sales, organizers frame the showcase as a critical step to passing down traditional craft knowledge and inspiration to the next generation of Caribbean creators.
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PJ Patterson Institute to launch Lorna Goodison’s Caribbean reimagining of Dante’s Inferno
KINGSTON, Jamaica — More than 20 years in the making, one of the most transformative projects in modern Caribbean literature is preparing for its official public debut. The PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy will host the launch of Lorna Goodison’s *Dante’s Inferno: A New Translation* on the evening of May 6, 2026, in the main library’s multifunctional room at the University of the West Indies Mona campus, the institute announced in an official statement released Saturday.
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Yaksta and The Carey James collab on ‘Strength of a Lion’
Jamaican reggae’s fastest-growing new talent, Carey James, has joined forces with established reggae performer Yaksta and in-demand producer Spyda Meng to release their highly anticipated collaborative single, *Strength of a Lion*.
Dropped to digital platforms on April 17 through independent imprint Pondemik Records, the track has already crossed a major milestone, racking up more than 150,000 global streams in its early window of release, a clear sign of its resonance with reggae fans worldwide.
Crafted around sharp, thoughtful social commentary, the song pairs clever, purpose-driven lyrics with a lush, roots-reggae rooted instrumental built by Spyda Meng. The production strikes a careful balance between vintage reggae authenticity and contemporary sonic styling, blending hard-hitting, unapologetic reggae energy with modern production flourishes to carry a core message of personal resilience, unshakable faith, and steady perseverance through hardship.
Yaksta, a fan favorite celebrated for his raw, socially conscious delivery and heartfelt, authentic storytelling, brings new layers of gravity and credibility to the collaboration. His distinctive vocal style complements the commanding, confident presence that Carey James brings to the track, creating a dynamic chemistry that elevates the entire record.
Anchored by an anthemic hook that repeats the plea for “the strength of a lion”, the track speaks directly to the experience of pushing through personal and collective struggle, and maintaining mental fortitude when facing hardship. Its intentional lyrics tackle systemic inequality, ongoing global conflict, and rising social division, expanding the song’s scope from a personal mantra to a unifying call for global peace. It places particular focus on nations across the African continent, closing with a clear plea for “no more war”.
Overall, the three collaborators have created a bold, timely artistic statement rooted in reggae’s cultural legacy of social awareness and collective strength. *Strength of a Lion* is currently available for streaming and download on all major digital music platforms worldwide.
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IShowSpeed kicks off Caribbean tour in Trinidad
One of America’s biggest breakout online content creators, IShowSpeed, has launched his highly anticipated Caribbean tour, launching the global excursion with a high-octane opening stop in Trinidad and Tobago. On Saturday, the viral streamer brought his trademark unfiltered, high-energy live performance directly out of the studio and onto local streets, giving fans an up-close, in-person experience of the content that has made him a global household name.
This Caribbean leg of his worldwide touring schedule marks the latest in a string of successful international outings for the creator, who has already drawn massive crowds and millions of concurrent online viewers from treks across Africa, Europe, and Latin America in previous years. Unlike traditional studio-based streams, this tour is built around on-location, real-time content creation that centers direct engagement with local fan bases across the region’s island nations.
Over the course of the tour, IShowSpeed will make stops at 15 separate Caribbean countries and territories. Beyond the opening destination of Trinidad and Tobago, the confirmed upcoming stops include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each stop is expected to feature unique live content tailored to the local area, building on the creator’s reputation for spontaneous, unscripted entertainment that resonates with millions of young viewers across the globe.
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WATCH: Night two of Barbados Reggae Weekend ignites with high-energy start
The second night of one of Barbados’ most anticipated reggae gatherings, Barbados Reggae Weekend, has exploded into life at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval, launching with high-octane opening performances that set a fiery tone for the evening ahead. Up-and-coming acts Idea The Artist and Weather 40 delivered dynamic, crowd-engaging sets that got thousands of gathered fans on their feet early, stoking excitement for the evening’s headlining performers. As ticketholders continued streaming through the venue gates long after the event kicked off, all eyes and expectations are fixed on two of reggae’s biggest names: beloved dancehall star Popcaan and legendary Jamaican artist Capleton, who is affectionately known to fans around the world as “the Fireman” for his explosive stage presence. Many attendees at the event have been repeat visitors for years of Barbados Reggae Weekend, and in on-the-ground interviews with Observer Online, they shared what draws them back to the festival year after year. For these loyal fans, it is the unbeatable, one-of-a-kind collective energy and community vibe that keeps the event at the top of their annual must-attend entertainment lists, turning the reggae gathering into a beloved tradition for casual listeners and die-hard reggae fans alike. Local entertainment journalist Dana Malcolm reported on the opening of the night’s festivities from the venue.
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Bare Skinz lights up Negril
Last Saturday, Jamaica’s iconic Negril 7-mile beach gained a new milestone in its ongoing entertainment resurgence, as the highly anticipated Bare Skinz event turned the sun-soaked shores of Wavz Beach into a vibrant, energy-charged celebration of Caribbean dancehall culture. Organized by Damage Musiq Group, the one-night showcase was designed not just to deliver world-class live entertainment to attendees, but to reinforce Negril’s long-held reputation as one of the Caribbean’s premier must-visit locations for large-scale music events.
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Amaziyah The Great tracks Crime and Violence
Acclaimed Jamaican artist Craig Kirkland, better known by his stage name Amaziyah The Great, has expanded his creative discography with the launch of a brand-new single titled *Crime and Violence*, now available to stream across all major digital music platforms. A multi-talented creative force, Kirkland holds credits as an international recording artist, published poet, author, and award-winning filmmaker, and his latest work draws directly from the lived economic and social hardship he has witnessed among his loved ones and community.
In a statement discussing the inspiration behind the new track, Kirkland explained that the struggles of his parents, the uncertainty his children have faced, and the barriers encountered by his talented but underemployed friends and peers left him determined to push for meaningful change and a path to collective prosperity. This personal connection to community struggle has anchored much of his work throughout his decades-long career in entertainment.
Performance has long been second nature for Kirkland, who cut his teeth performing across his home country of Jamaica long before expanding his reach internationally. Early in his career, he was a regular act at community events in his hometown of Frazer’s Content, Spanish Town, St Catherine, and went on to grace the stage of major regional events including GT Taylor’s iconic Reggae Christmas Extravaganza and Yasus Afari’s Poetry Festival. His international touring journey has taken him across the United States, with memorable sets at Pawtucket Poetry in Rhode Island — where he first met his wife Lori — and the Boston Jerk Fest in Massachusetts, among other stops across the Northeast.
Years of consistent, grassroots work in the industry are now earning Kirkland growing mainstream acclaim. Most recently, he secured his third nomination to the prestigious International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), adding to a growing list of career honors. Up next, he is slated to compete for an award at the 2025 National Spoken Word Awards in Chicago, marking another milestone in his cross-genre creative journey.
Looking ahead, Kirkland says his current focus is on expanding his catalog of original music and poetry recordings to serve his growing global fanbase, with a special shoutout to the TikTok community that has become a major source of inspiration and support for his work. He also plans to return to his Jamaican roots to reconnect with local audiences, re-establish his presence in his home country, and update fans on his upcoming projects. All upcoming releases will drop under his own independent production banner, Great Amazement Multimedia Entertainment LLC, with distribution handled by Distrokid and publishing support from BMI, after Kirkland recently signed on with the performance rights organization.
In a closing appeal to the Jamaican diaspora, Kirkland urged widespread support for homegrown, authentic Jamaican creative talent, emphasizing that independent artists deserve more recognition for their work. Confident about what lies ahead, he noted, “More greatness is yet to come.”