分类： entertainment

Months of careful preparation are coming to a head for Jamaica’s Miss Universe Jamaica Westmoreland 2026 pageant, after organizers publicly introduced the 18 women who will compete for the parish title later this spring. Pageant director Hannah Sheree expressed full confidence in the selected finalists, highlighting the steady progress of pre-coronation planning in an exclusive interview with Observer Online last week.

Against the unexpected backdrop of recovery from Hurricane Melissa, which struck the region late last year, Sheree says recruitment efforts exceeded all expectations. More than 30 young women from diverse communities across Westmoreland stepped forward to attend initial casting calls, a turnout that organizers called far more encouraging than projected after the storm disrupted local life. From that large initial pool of hopefuls, 18 candidates earned a spot as finalists, who made their first public appearance at a formal sashing ceremony held at Savannah-La-Mar’s Hotel Commingle.

The sashing event drew a packed, energetic crowd of supporters who turned out to cheer on the contestants, who already impressed attendees with their poise and presence ahead of the formal coronation. Distinguished guests joined the celebration, including Dwayne Vaz, Member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland, Gabrielle Whyte, 2025 Miss Universe Jamaica West second runner-up, and Maria Marshall, deputy vice president for Miss Jamaica UK.

Sheree emphasized that even this introductory event required months of behind-the-scenes work from the contestants, who are already in active training leading up to the May 23 coronation. “I am so incredibly proud of my girls,” she said, noting that the commitment and enthusiasm the finalists have brought to every rehearsal and preparation session has exceeded the team’s expectations. “Though this was just the sashing show, a lot of effort and passion was put into the preparation and it paid off beautifully.”

The pageant director also extended public gratitude to the full network of local sponsors and partners that have made the 2026 competition possible, starting with Hotel Commingle, the official host venue sponsor for both the sashing ceremony and the upcoming coronation. Additional supporters include Ro Ro Designs, which created promotional materials for the competition, Jamark Luxury Transportation, gift sponsor The Pill Box Pharmacy, Tan Tan Bakery, and official water sponsor Aqua Palace. Sheree also highlighted the critical work of individual contestant sponsors and the core production team—Tiena Brown, Crystal Johnson, and Andre Walker—whose tireless work has kept the pageant on track.

The 2026 Miss Universe Jamaica Westmoreland coronation will take place on May 23 at Hotel Commingle, with a high-stakes reward waiting for the winner: the champion will earn an automatic berth in the national Miss Universe Jamaica pageant, where they will go on to compete for the chance to represent Jamaica on the global Miss Universe stage.

The 18 official finalists for the 2026 Miss Universe Jamaica Westmoreland title are: Annalicia Russell, Shamara Hurst, Cameron Willis, Tiffany Maragh, Ashley Gardner, Thrisianna Coke, Nicolette Gayle, Gabriele Davidson, Kelly Ann Barrett, Roushanda Levy, Nia Paige Matthews, Gayon Gayle, Brittany Solomon, Christine Mulai, Alexsia Brady, Mykhal Anglin, Regina McLean, and Shauna Lee Ervin.

Five decades after they first rose to prominence on Jamaica’s iconic rocksteady scene, the enduring veteran musical duo Keith and Tex continues to create new work, putting their distinctive reggae spin on timeless tracks with the release of their latest cover: the beloved standard *Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps*. The long-running pair first hatched the idea for a project reimagining underrated, widely loved classic songs last year, when the pair began brainstorming selections for their new cover series, and *Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps* quickly emerged as one of their top choices. Their reimagined version of the track hit streaming and digital platforms this past March, with production credits shared across Carl Fletcher, Basil “Benbow” Creary, and Keith Rowe. This new release marks the follow-up to their well-received 2024 take on Bobby Caldwell’s blue-eyed soul staple *What You Won’t Do For Love*, which transformed the smooth R&B original into a vibrant reggae cut. First penned by Cuban composer Osvaldo Farres, the track has an 77-year recorded history, with previous versions cut by legendary artists ranging from Desi Arnaz and Doris Day to Bing Crosby and Jamaican reggae great Dennis Brown. For the duo, reinterpreting these classic tracks is all about leaving their own creative mark on material that already resonates with audiences around the world. “Our approach to covering songs is to make it our own and in our style,” Keith explained in an interview with Jamaica Observer Online. “The decision to cover ‘Perhaps’ was taken after a conversation with my friends about doing covers of obscure, and well-loved songs. Perhaps it was the first song we recorded.” What makes Keith and Tex stand out among the acts that emerged during rocksteady’s peak 1966–1968 heyday is their ongoing commitment to recording and performing. Though the pair now lives on opposite sides of North America—Keith resides in Tampa, Florida, while Tex has been based in Toronto, Canada for decades—that geographic distance has not slowed their output. The duo got their start over 50 years ago under the guidance of legendary Jamaican producer Derrick Harriott, scoring multiple top hits on the Jamaican music charts with fan favorites including *Don’t Look Back*, *Tonight*, and *Stop That Train*. In the decades since, they have maintained a consistent work schedule: they tour regularly across Europe and Australia, and drop a full new album every two years. Their most recent full-length project, *Gun Life*, was released in 2025 through Spanish label Liquidator Records, setting the stage for this latest string of single releases that see them continuing to celebrate the music that shaped their careers. The release of their new *Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps* cover underscores not just the duo’s enduring relevance in the global reggae scene, but also the timeless appeal of well-crafted classic songs that continue to draw new interpretations from generations of artists.

After stepping away from the music industry for more than a decade to pursue a corporate tech career, veteran Jamaican reggae performer Vernal Sage—pronounced Sajay—has returned to the spotlight with a purpose-driven new single aimed at sparking meaningful cultural shift. Titled *Good Over Evil*, the track grows out of Sage’s deep concern over eroding moral standards and fading empathy across global society, and he says he is confident the work can lift collective spirits and reframe public mindsets both in his native Jamaica and across the world.

In explaining the core message behind his latest release, Sage pointed to growing social disconnectedness that has paved the way for a surge in destructive societal problems, from widespread scamming operations to rising violent criminality in Jamaica. Beyond local community issues, he extended his critique to global politics, noting that many world governments now operate without empathy or regard for the welfare of citizens in other nations, pointing to the ongoing crisis unfolding across the Middle East as a stark example.

Sage emphasized that failing adult leadership has disproportionately harmed young people, who grow up without receiving the consistent care and loving example they need to thrive. “It’s turning into a harsher, more unkind world, and that has to be fixed,” he explained. “Good has to hold the balance to keep the world right. That’s why I sing of good triumphing over evil, and that’s what I pray for every day.”

Since its release, *Good Over Evil* has earned broad, enthusiastic backing from Jamaican radio personalities. Top DJs including DJ Amber, Big A, Collision and DJ Bryan from the popular local station IRIE FM have added the track to regular rotation, alongside other prominent DJs Roderick Howell, Dalton Leith, and Richie B. Programming teams at Connection Radio and Captain Kirk of Island Gold Radio have also thrown their support behind the single. The track made its public debut at the iconic Kingston weekly street event Weddy Weddy, hosted by Dwayne Pow, and DJ Shawn 13 has been spinning the track consistently at local street events ever since. “The feedback and support we’ve gotten has been absolutely incredible,” Sage said of the early response.

A native of Westmoreland, Jamaica, Sage grew up as the oldest of eight siblings, cutting his first musical teeth as a member of his high school choir at Glenmuir High School before relocating to Rocky Point, Clarendon, and completing his secondary education at Clarendon College. He cut his first three recorded tracks in the early 1990s under the stage name Green T, after graduating from the University of Technology. For years, he balanced a full-time career as an information technology specialist with his passion for music, even releasing multiple tracks through the legendary reggae label Greensleeves Records. Eventually, the heavy demands of his corporate role led him to step back from music, taking an extended sabbatical that lasted until 2010.

Sage’s return to full-time music began through a personal and professional connection with iconic Jamaican performer Boris Gardiner. In 2020, he officially relaunched his recording career, teaming up with Gardiner and Donovan Downer, a core member of the beloved reggae group Fab Fifty. Since resuming his craft, he has poured consistent energy into refining his work, earning early commercial success with the 2020s single *One Night Stand*, which climbed the ethnic regional music charts across the United States.

Jamaica’s globally beloved musical tradition has long been celebrated around the world, but a groundbreaking new work by author Rohan Budhai argues that many critical chapters of this cultural legacy have remained hidden from mainstream documentation. Titled *A Hit Mek* — a clever reference to Desmond Dekker’s iconic 1967 track *007 (Shanty Town)* that unpacks the deeper cultural roots of the classic phrase “A it mek” — this 560-page volume offers the most sweeping examination of the island’s sonic and cultural evolution ever published, challenging long-held assumptions that Jamaican music history has already been fully mapped.

In his foreword to the book, respected music consultant Clyde McKenzie praises Budhai’s unique approach, which ties pivotal moments in Jamaican social and political history directly to the emergence and transformation of the nation’s core musical genres. Unlike many earlier works that focus only on the global boom of reggae in the 20th century, *A Hit Mek* stretches its narrative back more than 500 years, opening with Christopher Columbus’s 15th-century arrival on the island and the Indigenous Taíno community whose rhythmic drumming, call-and-response vocal traditions, and handmade instruments carried the earliest echoes of African cultural influence that would shape all future Jamaican sound.

Budhai weaves together a complex narrative that accounts for the layered impacts of Spanish and British colonial rule, the brutality of the transatlantic slave trade, and the irreplaceable cultural contributions of every community that shaped the island: Taínos, Maroons, enslaved Africans, and indentured laborers from across Asia and the Middle East. The book traces the step-by-step evolution of Jamaica’s most defining genres, from sacred traditional styles like Kumina to the first commercially recorded local sound Mento, through the mid-20th century explosion of Ska and Rocksteady, and on to the global dominance of Reggae and the contemporary energy of Dancehall. It also centers the underrecognized role of Jamaican sound system culture, a grassroots innovation that redefined live music and went on to reshape popular sound across the globe.

A key strength of the work is its commitment to highlighting the contributions of diverse communities that have long been sidelined in official music histories, including Afro-Jamaican, Lebanese, Syrian, Chinese, and Indian Jamaican creators, alongside the bands, radio outlets, and entertainment organizations that nurtured local talent and expanded the reach of Jamaican sound. The book even addresses longstanding scholarly debates: for example, it notes that while Mento holds the title of Jamaica’s first widely recognized and electronically recorded local genre, cultural icons like Rex Nettleford long argued that it drew significant formative influence from Cuban musical traditions.

The volume devotes special attention to reggae, Jamaica’s most globally impactful export, framing it as a dynamic fusion of West African ancestral traditions, American rhythm and blues, jazz, and soul. It maps reggae’s far-reaching legacy, from spawning iconic subgenres including dub and lovers rock to shaping everything from modern hip-hop to global electronic dance music, cementing Jamaica’s outsize influence on contemporary popular music worldwide.

Budhai, who launched his career in music production before founding Howlers International Music, began the ambitious project in 2021, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and brought it to completion in 2025. His years of research uncovered major gaps in existing historical accounts, with many key influences — including church music introduced during colonial rule, and cultural traditions dating back to pre-Columbian and enslaved African communities — having been largely overlooked in earlier works.

Today, *A Hit Mek* is available for purchase globally through Amazon, with translated editions already published in Spanish, French, and Portuguese to make this comprehensive history accessible to audiences around the world. While Budhai describes the book as one of the most exhaustive works on Jamaican music history ever compiled, he emphasizes that the story of the island’s sound is far from finished. For him, Jamaican music has always been, and remains, a living narrative that reflects the struggles, extraordinary resilience, and unmistakeable cultural identity of the Jamaican people, with new chapters still being written every day.

On a sweltering Easter Sunday, 36 Hope Road transformed into a vibrant hub of food, music and community for the very first staging of Noon Brunch, a new daytime entertainment concept that exceeded all turnout expectations. Even as temperatures climbed and the sun beat down unrelentingly, hundreds of patrons from near and far turned out to indulge in a curated afternoon of culinary delights and live Jamaican music, proving the event’s broad appeal from its debut.

Headlined by popular dancehall recording artist Charly Black, the event brought together established performers and rising DJ talents for a full day of non-stop entertainment. Ahead of his scheduled set of hit fan favorites, Charly Black shared his excitement about returning to the Kingston stage after an extended break, noting he arrived hours early just to soak in the positive energy of the crowd. The artist also revealed major upcoming career milestones: he is set to kick off an international tour starting May 2, first traveling across multiple African nations before moving on to stops across Europe. He also announced upcoming new music projects, including two already released 2024 tracks – *Slim Dolly* produced by DJ Mac, and *Weekend* produced by Feel Good Boss – as well as a long-awaited deluxe reissue of his latest album *Good Time*, whose original promotional rollout was cut short by the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Beyond the live headline performance, Noon Brunch impressed attendees with its diverse culinary offerings, ranging from fresh local seafood and plant-based vegetarian dishes to beloved Jamaican classics and international fusion cuisine. Lines formed steadily at food stalls throughout the afternoon as guests sampled the wide range of delicacies prepared on-site, including a selection of specials crafted by a visiting international chef.

The musical lineup catered to every taste, with veteran selectors and emerging DJ talents keeping energy high from opening to close. Early sets from DJ Junior Phang, and the duo of DJ Tom and Slim J laid a solid foundation for the day, while later sets from Steelie Bashment, JR Chromatic, Shukkle Bus, and DJ Chaddy G kept the crowd dancing well into the evening. Junior Phang, a selector with more than 20 years of industry experience, leaned into classic reggae hits from iconic artists including Marcia Griffiths, Garnet Silk, Sanchez and Bitty McLean to keep guests grooving, noting that reading a crowd and maintaining consistent energy is the key to a successful set. Slim J, who has built his career over eight years as a professional DJ, called connecting with attendees and watching them enjoy his selections the highlight of his day.

Attendees across age groups and backgrounds shared overwhelmingly positive feedback about the debut event. Gary Nunes, who attended alongside his father to learn more about event promotion – a field he plans to enter – praised the relaxed, positive atmosphere. Sheree Morris, a Jamaican visitor traveling home from Canada who had not returned to the island in several years, stumbled across the event on Instagram and joined her sister for a day out, saying she had no regrets despite hunting for shade to escape the midday sun.

Shawn Whyte, one of three promoters behind the Noon Brunch concept, shared that he was thrilled with the outcome of the first staging. Explaining the vision behind the event, Whyte noted that the name “Noon” was chosen to reflect its core identity: a laid-back midday gathering centered on live on-site cooking, diverse music, a welcoming atmosphere, and a chic Easter-themed dress code. While Whyte acknowledged that there is room to refine the experience for future events, he confirmed that the team is already planning the next iteration, with a target date of October for the second staging, and that Noon Brunch will now be a permanent addition to Kingston’s annual events calendar.

Rising dancehall talent Natesha, who currently resides in New Jersey, is celebrating overwhelming global acclaim for her latest high-energy club single, *Sexology*, a collaborative track that features iconic international dancehall star Beenie Man.

The genre-blending artist, who has built a loyal following by fusing pop, R&B and reggae influences into a one-of-a-kind musical style, says she is particularly thrilled by the robust traction the track has earned across major U.S. urban radio markets — a milestone that solidifies her status as one of the most promising emerging powerhouses in the global dancehall scene.

In an enthusiastic interview, Natesha shared that *Sexology* is already getting regular rotation on top-rated radio outlets including IRIE FM, and can be heard blaring through street markets, nightlife venues and clubs in both Montego Bay, Jamaica, and New York City. Beyond North America and the Caribbean, the single has also landed spots on major curated playlists and national music charts across six countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Japan.

Fueled by the track’s unexpected early success, fan demand for a visual accompaniment has surged. “People love the song so much that they keep asking for the video,” Natesha explained. Currently, the artist is in active discussions with Beenie Man’s management team and renowned producer Kemar “Flava” McGregor to lock in production for a music video, scheduled to begin filming this summer.

To capitalize on the single’s growing momentum ahead of the peak summer entertainment season, Natesha and her team have laid out an aggressive digital marketing strategy: the track will be added to TikTok’s music library, and the team will leverage user-generated content campaigns to encourage broader audience participation and drive the song toward viral status. “The response on the streaming platforms has been so phenomenal that we must get the video done ASAP for the big Summer push,” Natesha noted.

The artist has already ramped up in-person promotional efforts across Jamaica to boost the single’s reach: she performed live at two popular Montego Bay venues, the Brewery and Pier One, and headlined a stage show at Negril’s Ritz Cafe over the 2024 Easter holiday weekend. Known as an unapologetically bold lyricist, Natesha prioritizes open self-expression in her work, and has notched previous independent success with earlier singles including *Reasons*, the fan-favorite *Louis V*, and *Body*.

The roar of car engines mixed with thundering basslines transformed Jamaica’s National Stadium into a nonstop celebration on Thursday, April 9, as Campari Xodus Carnival launched Tailgate: a one-of-a-kind soca versus dancehall party designed entirely around the ride-in party experience.

Unlike traditional Carnival events that center stages and grandstand seating, Tailgate invited attendees to arrive in everything from compact cars to customized trucks and box vans, with many even opting to walk in to join the fun. What resulted was a sprawling, high-octane playground where Caribbean music, centuries-old Carnival culture, and laid-back tailgate energy merged into an unforgettable night of celebration. The open-format setup let partygoers move between vehicle clusters, dance in open spaces, and soak in the atmosphere on their own terms, creating a far more intimate and dynamic vibe than standard large-scale events.

Keeping the energy elevated from the first beat to the closing set was an all-star lineup of top local DJs, including Jus Travis World, Tony X, Zess, Selectah Kerry, Major Penny, Lurbz, Jus Jay, Fatalic, and Quest. The collective skill of these selectors ensured there was never a lull in the momentum, blending hard-hitting dancehall riddims with upbeat soca anthems that had the entire crowd moving from start to finish.

The undisputed highlight of the evening came from Grenadian soca sensation V’ghn, who delivered a searing, high-energy live performance that had diehard fans singing every lyric word for word. As one of the most in-demand acts in Caribbean soca, his dynamic stage presence and catalog of hit tracks turned the stadium into a giant sing-along that cemented the event’s status as a must-attend stop on the Carnival calendar.

Co-sponsored by Campari and Wray & Nephew, the event kept guests refreshed all night long with free-flowing Rumpari cocktails, the signature mixed drink that kept patrons cool, hydrated, and fully immersed in the party vibe. Event organizers noted that the partnership between the two iconic Caribbean beverage brands helped bring the unique tailgate concept to life, supporting local artists and creating a new kind of Carnival experience for attendees.

Attendees turned out in droves to be part of the new event, with regular festival-goers like fitness trainer and dancer Aaron Linton marking it as a non-negotiable stop on his Carnival schedule. Ahead of the upcoming Sunday road march, attendee Khadije Swaby shared that she was already fully prepped and ready for the main event after warming up at Tailgate. Other guests took advantage of the event’s extra activities, with Desha James spotted riding the mechanical bull while holding her signature Campari mug, and attendees Camille Thompson and Hayley Mark pausing mid-dance to snap a quick photo between sets. V’ghn’s draw extended far beyond Jamaica’s borders, with Grenadian fan Nina McDonald traveling to attend the performance, while local patron Emerson Carter and attendee Ashanti Taylor also joined in the night’s celebrations, all captured by event photographer O’Neil Grant.

From V’ghn’s fiery opening set to the back-to-back beats from the all-DJ lineup, Tailgate delivered on its promise of the ultimate soca versus dancehall showdown. The event proved that reimagining Carnival as a ride-in tailgate experience unlocks a whole new level of party energy, blending the laid-back joy of tailgating with the unbeatable spirit of Caribbean Carnival.