分类： entertainment

One year after drawing a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 attendees and delivering millions in charitable donations to Jamaican institutions, the beloved Come Alive gospel concert is making a comeback. The second iteration of the event will take place August 1, Jamaica’s Emancipation Day, on the East Lawn of King’s House, bringing together an all-star lineup of award-winning gospel talent for a day of worship and community impact.

What many attendees may not know is that a follow-up event was never part of the original plan. Erin Hosin, chairman of the organizing body Come Alive Collective, shared the unexpected origin of this year’s staging in an interview with the Jamaica Observer following the 2026 launch at New Kingston’s Liguanea Club. “We had no plans to do a second staging, but then God spoke to our hearts and said he wanted us to call this nation to worship,” Hosin explained.

The selection of headliner Michael W. Smith, a multi-Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum selling recording artist, came about through a serendipitous encounter. A member of the Come Alive team was attending a Christmas concert in Washington, D.C. where both Smith and 2024 headliner CeCe Winans were performing. The team member overheard Winans telling Smith about her experience headlining the first Come Alive concert, and Smith shared that he had long wanted to visit Jamaica. For organizers, the choice to book him was an obvious one: “He’s an amazing man of God and we thought that having a multi-Grammy winner who has been worshipping for so many years was an easy selection,” Hosin said.

Smith brings decades of acclaim in both Christian and mainstream music to the Jamaican stage. He earned mainstream recognition in 1991 when his hit *Place in This World* climbed to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A follow-up single, *I Will Be Here For You*, peaked at number 27 on the Hot 100 and claimed the top spot on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Nine of Smith’s albums have earned gold certification in the U.S., with three reaching multiplatinum status, and he has claimed the number one position on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart 13 times throughout his career.

Smith will be joined on this year’s lineup by Jamaican gospel favorites including Papa San, Petra Kaye, Johnmark Wiggan, Jermaine Edwards, and a cappella group HUMBLE. A pre-show leading up to the headlining performances will feature Audience of One and competitors from the annual Jamaica Gospel Star competition.

Like the inaugural event, all net proceeds from this year’s concert will go directly to local Jamaican charities and nonprofits. Last year, proceeds funded a $17 million cataract surgery machine for the Bustamante Hospital for Children’s ophthalmology department, a donation that transformed pediatric vision care across the facility. “Since then we have been able to revolutionize vision care for our children at the hospital,” shared Dr. Leighton Maddan, head of the hospital’s ophthalmology department. Maddan added that he is grateful for last year’s contribution and eagerly anticipates the impact of continued support from the 2026 concert. This year, the Bustamante Hospital for Children will again receive proceeds, alongside the Open Door Jamaica Foundation and Clifton Boys’ Home.

Organizers have also adjusted event logistics based on lessons learned from the sold-out 2024 staging. The most notable change is an expansion of food vending across all ticketing tiers, including VIP and VVIP areas, after vendors underestimated crowd demand last year. Organizers have also promised a series of special surprises and extra activities for attendees to enjoy throughout the day.

Performing artists have echoed widespread excitement for this year’s event, many of whom are returning from the 2024 staging. Jermaine Edwards, who was unable to appear at the first concert due to prior commitments, cleared his schedule months in advance to join this year’s lineup. “It is an event that I wanted to be a part of. I saw the quality of the event from the first staging, and it was great. I believe that the message of the Lord is relevant at a time like this,” Edwards said.

Returning performer Johnmark Wiggan called out the warm reception and shared mission of the first event as motivation to rejoin. “It was an amazing concert last year. It was my first time being on a platform that served such a diverse and big audience, and it was tremendous. It was very well received; God was glorified and the mission was accomplished,” Wiggan shared.

For Chevaughn Walker of a cappella group HUMBLE, the most memorable moment of 2024 was the unified energy of the crowd in worship. “I think, for me, my best recollection would be seeing the people high in worship. That just did it for me,” he said. This year, the group plans to lean into their Jamaican roots for a special Emancipation Day performance, promising an elevated, culturally rooted a cappella set: “HUMBLE is all about Jamaican flavour and bringing just that a capella vibe mixed with the Jamaican-ness, and it’s Emancipation Day, so you know we’re coming with something exciting. We’re definitely gonna step it up this year.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica — From viral social media clips to the red carpets of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, Jamaican content creator Kerry-Ann Collins, known professionally as Chiney K, is putting the final pieces in place ahead of the June 27 world premiere of her first feature-length film, *Stew Peas*.

For Collins, the upcoming premiere is far more than a one-night celebratory event—it is the starting line of a deliberate, long-term push to transition from a successful social media influencer to a established, lasting presence in the global film industry. In conversations about her upcoming debut, she emphasized that the most intense work does not end when the credits roll on opening night; instead, it will only ramp up as she works to parlay this first project into future acting and production opportunities.

“I’m equal parts excited and bracing for the work that comes next,” Collins shared in an interview. “Of course I’m thrilled to have audiences finally see the film, but I’m also eager to hear what critics and industry insiders think. I’m hoping the work I put in on screen resonates enough to open doors for more roles beyond *Stew Peas*.”

She also opened up about the grueling reality of independent film promotion, noting that the behind-the-scenes marketing work has proven far more demanding than the acting process itself. The core goal of the outreach, she explained, is not just to boost her own career, but to shine a spotlight on the untapped potential of Jamaica’s local film scene, both for domestic audiences and the millions of Jamaican diaspora viewers around the world.

To build connections and credibility ahead of her debut, Collins recently made a high-profile appearance on the red carpet at the Cannes International Film Festival, a trip arranged through a strategic partnership with renowned Jamaican designer Marshall, founder of Lepremier Miami. Marshall has designed custom wardrobes for A-list Hollywood figures including Anthony Anderson and Swizz Beatz, and the collaboration allowed Collins to position herself as a serious contender on the global film stage, marking a clear pivot from digital content creation to professional filmmaking.

For Collins, the Cannes trip was also a meaningful full-circle moment that tied back to her long-standing academic roots in film. Long before she built a following as a social media creator, she studied film in depth during her college years, and originally dreamed of studying film in France and interning at the Cannes Film Festival itself. Though her path ultimately led her to earn a degree from California State University, Northridge, standing on the Croisette this year felt like a realization of a goal she’d held for decades.

“I’ve been building this slowly for years, and with *Stew Peas* premiering next month, my whole focus right now is breaking into the international industry,” she said. “Cannes is where every corner of the global film industry converges—you have everyone from small boutique agents to top casting directors walking that promenade. As a new actress, there was no better place for me to be. I’m grateful for the opportunity, because I’m not just here to build my own career—I want to bring what I learn back to grow the industry at home in Jamaica.”

During her time at the festival, Collins gained key insight into gaps holding back Jamaica’s film sector, most notably the absence of a formal support ecosystem that can connect local creators with international film financiers. She noted that the glitz and red carpet glamour that draws public attention is only the surface of what Cannes offers; behind the scenes, industry development programs like the Cannes impACT Lab provide emerging creators with critical training on the legal, financial, and technical frameworks global investors require to back new projects.

“Those structures are make-or-break for growing our local industry,” she explained.

Collins also pointed to Nollywood’s exponential growth as a blueprint she finds inspiring for Jamaica’s sector. The Nigerian film industry built its global reputation starting from a grassroots, direct-to-consumer model, and has grown into a $6.4 billion industry that attracts major international investment. At this year’s Cannes, she celebrated Nigerian twin directors Arie and Chuko Esiri, whose new film *Clarissa* earned a rapturous standing ovation from festival audiences, a milestone she called a win for emerging global cinema everywhere.

Rooted in raw personal experience and unflinching social observation, Jamaican reggae artist Fyahstige has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the genre, riding a wave of global attention for his hard-hitting new single ‘Fickleness’. The track appears as a standout feature on the widely praised ‘Kiss Of Judas Riddim’ compilation, helmed by iconic reggae producer Kemar “Flava” McGregor.

Unlike many lightweight contemporary reggae releases, ‘Fickleness’ dives into the heavy, universal themes of broken trust, two-faced friendships, and the disloyalty that often marks shifting life circumstances. For Fyahstige, these topics are not abstract artistic concepts—they are drawn directly from his own lived reality, giving the track an authenticity that resonates with listeners across borders. ‘The song is about people who switch up on you when life changes. Too much fickleness is going on in the world, and I wanted to speak on it through music,’ the artist explained of his creative motivation.

The single has rapidly emerged as one of the most beloved entries on the 12-track riddim compilation, earning critical praise for its relatable lyrical core, unpolished genuine delivery, and tight, intentional songwriting. Top-tier selectors and DJs across the globe have added the track to their regular rotations, with well-known international selector Pink Panta among its most vocal supporters.

The release of ‘Fickleness’ marks a key milestone in Fyahstige’s ongoing artistic evolution, a journey that has included a major public rebranding earlier in his career. Previously performing under the stage name Prestige, the artist made the switch after multiple other creators used the same moniker, causing widespread confusion online. The new name was not a random choice—it came directly from the late reggae legend Cocoa Tea, who recognized the burning passion driving Fyahstige’s work. ‘Cocoa Tea told me I have fire in me, so I should use Fyahstige. It was a rebirth for me,’ he recalled of the moment that reshaped his career.

Fyahstige also credits his ongoing creative partnership with producer Kemar “Flava” McGregor for pulling some of his strongest vocal and songwriting work to date. The pair share an effortless in-studio chemistry that elevates every project they collaborate on, he says: ‘Working with Flava McGregor always brings out the best in me. The energy and direction in the studio are always strong.’

Beyond the runaway success of ‘Fickleness’, Fyahstige continues to promote fan-favorite tracks from his existing discography. Standouts include the uplifting soul anthem ‘Beautiful Day’, which appears on his seven-track ‘Good Vibes’ EP, and the gritty, personal ‘Friend X Enemy’—a track that explores betrayal and hardship the artist experienced during a challenging period living in the United States. For Fyahstige, reggae is more than entertainment: it is a tool for education, connection, and uplifting communities. ‘Music is my way of teaching, uplifting and opening people’s eyes. I always try to make songs people can feel and relate to,’ he said. ‘I’m a man of peace, unity and love. I put that energy in my music. I want people to feel good when they listen.’

Over the course of his career, Fyahstige has built a solid reputation in the global reggae scene, collaborating with respected producers and labels including Timeless Records, Black Scorpio, Konection Entertainment, and Yard Style Records. He has also graced the stages of some of the world’s most iconic reggae festivals, including California’s Reggae on the River and Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, and has toured extensively across Europe to perform for sold-out crowds.

Looking ahead, Fyahstige has no plans to slow his momentum. He is currently wrapping up new collaborative projects with legendary reggae artists Luciano, Lukie D, and Thriller U, and has laid out an ambitious plan to expand his reach into the African market, a key part of his mission to spread conscious, positive reggae across the globe. ‘I want to uplift people worldwide with positive music and real messages. Africa is definitely part of the mission,’ he affirmed.

As ‘Fickleness’ continues to gain streams, radio play, and listener attention on the ‘Kiss Of Judas Riddim’ project, Fyahstige remains committed to his core artistic vision: creating reggae music rooted in truth, lived experience, and radical positivity for audiences everywhere.

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, JAMAICA – A packed, enthusiastic crowd at Hotel Commingle witnessed a standout moment for regional pageantry Saturday night, when 33-year-old makeup artist Annalicia Russell claimed the title of Miss Universe Jamaica Westmoreland 2026. Outcompeting 15 fellow contestants to secure her spot in the national Miss Universe Jamaica finals scheduled for this August, Russell walked away with multiple honors beyond the overall crown, taking home the Best in Swimwear prize and sharing the Essence of Style award with fellow competitor Shaunalee Ervin.

The evening’s full results placed Regina McLean as first runner-up, with Alexsia Brady claiming third place. McLean also earned the pageant’s Most Congenial distinction, while Nicolette Gayle took home the award for Most Photogenic. Ervin added another win to her night by claiming the Best in Gown title, and Gayon Gayle rounded out the sectional awards as Best Social Media Personality.

In a special recognition of personal achievement, pageant director Hannah Sheree presented 18-year-old contestant Thrisianna Coke with the Spirit of Excellence award. The honor came in acknowledgement of Coke’s extraordinary academic accomplishment of passing 21 Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects.

Shortly after her win was announced, Russell shared her emotion in an interview with Observer Online, saying the title was a long-held dream come true. “I feel very accomplished, because I always wanted one day to become Miss Universe Jamaica Westmoreland and seeing this manifested now, I am very happy,” she said. A mother of two young boys, Russell added that the months of preparation leading up to the pageant had been demanding, and she felt deeply honored to carry the representation of her parish forward to the national stage. “I have worked very hard for this and I feel very honoured and privileged to be able to represent my parish in the national finals,” she noted.

Sheree echoed that celebration of all participants, framing the 2026 regional pageant as exactly the spectacular event organizers had promised. She emphasized that the competition presented a difficult decision for the panel of judges, who were impressed by the caliber of all 16 contestants. “It was not an easy task for the judges. However Annalicia’s hard work and dedication from the very beginning paid off beautifully and she emerged the winner,” Sheree said.

Reflecting on the experience for all entrants, Sheree described the pageant journey as one of profound personal growth, built on the resilience and determination each contestant brought to the process. “It was indeed a transformational journey of resilience and perseverance and I must express my congratulations to all the contestants,” she said. Sheree also extended public gratitude to the network of category sponsors that supported the event, as well as the audience members who turned out to cheer on the competitors, noting their collective support was key to making the 2026 staging a resounding success.