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  • Senator Quinc Britton congratulates traditional mas bands

    Senator Quinc Britton congratulates traditional mas bands

    As the curtain falls on the 2026 iteration of Grenada’s iconic Spicemas festival, top officials from the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture have extended warm recognition to participants and winners of the Traditional Mas Competition, highlighting the cultural form’s central role in defining Grenadian national identity.

    Senator Quinc Britton, Parliamentary Secretary within the ministry, offered heartfelt congratulations to all competition champions in an official statement. He commended the extraordinary creativity, meticulous craftsmanship, and unwavering commitment that mas practitioners bring to breathing new life into Grenada’s centuries-old cultural legacy. “Your outstanding presentations remind us of the beauty and significance of Grenada’s traditional mas, and the responsibility we all share in preserving these treasured traditions for generations to come,” Britton said.

    Beyond honoring prize recipients, Britton paid tribute to the full ecosystem of creators that sustain the annual tradition, from full traditional mas bands and individual masqueraders to costume designers, structure builders, musicians, and behind-the-scenes volunteers who contribute year after year. He emphasized that every participant plays an invaluable role in keeping the heritage alive, regardless of whether they took home an award. “Whether you took home a prize or simply participated, your contribution is invaluable,” he noted. “Thank you for helping to showcase the creativity, history and identity that make Grenadian culture special.”

    Britton also called on long-standing leaders and practitioners of traditional mas to prioritize passing down their skills and knowledge to younger generations, a step that would ensure future communities continue to embrace and celebrate this core part of Grenadian cultural life.

    Britton’s remarks follow earlier congratulations from Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Minister the Honorable Adrian Thomas, who extended praise to winners of all major Spicemas 2026 events, including the popular Kiddies Carnival segment. Thomas affirmed that this year’s festival reinforced Grenada’s long-held reputation for exceptional carnival art, stating that Spicemas 2026 proved the country continues to host “the best mas by far.”

    This report was shared via the Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture. NOW Grenada notes it does not take responsibility for contributor opinions, statements, or third-party media content included in this release, and invites users to report any abusive content via official platform channels.

  • A landscape of correspondences by Edward Bowen

    A landscape of correspondences by Edward Bowen

    For the ninth consecutive time, Grenada is showcasing Caribbean art to a global audience at the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s most prestigious international contemporary art events. Hosting a national pavilion at the iconic exhibition has opened invaluable doors for Grenada’s artistic community, forging lasting connections with curators, critics, and creators from across the globe that expand the international reach of Caribbean art.

    This year’s pavilion, curated by Daniele Radini Tedeschi for the 2026 edition, marks a milestone for Grenada, cementing its position as the most consistent Caribbean participant in the history of the Biennale. Expanding its regional scope, the 2026 pavilion includes work by Trinidadian artist Edward Bowen, whose standout piece *A Walk in the Park with Doctor Bob* offers a deeply intimate exploration of the concept of Baudelairean correspondences, the idea that all elements of nature and human experience are interconnected through overlapping symbols and senses.

    Bowen’s painting draws its inspiration from four years of regular walks through the botanical gardens of Port of Spain, Trinidad, shared with a close friend. Rather than creating a static, literal depiction of the garden landscape, Bowen sets out to capture the cumulative experience of these walks: condensing dozens of casual outings into a single reimagined image that follows the fluid, unstructured logic of involuntary memory, much like the narrative style of Marcel Proust’s work. Lived experience blends seamlessly with artistic imagination, as the canvas becomes a landscape shaped by memory rather than physical geography.

    The artist’s visual language amplifies this focus on memory over strict realism. While underlying linework lays out the basic structure of the garden scene, expressive brushwork and bold, saturated color work loosen this framework, letting gesture and hue become the primary conveyors of meaning. Vibrant crimson, glowing pink, luminous blue, and deep forest green reject the conventions of descriptive naturalism: a deep red tree anchors the composition like a sacred totem, cascades of pink foliage blur the line between living vegetation and ghostly apparition, and a thick band of blue hints at water without creating a clear illusion of depth. Though recognizable landscape elements — trees, meadow, water, sky — remain, their physical coherence gives way to an emotional logic, where color does not describe the natural world, but remembers it.

    This liberation of color from purely descriptive function opens the work to deeper interpretation, aligning it with the sensibility of magical realism. Here, magical realism is not defined by the intrusion of the supernatural into everyday life, but by a mode of perception that reveals the extraordinary already latent within ordinary experience. Nature is no longer a passive backdrop for human activity, but an active, animistic participant in the walker’s journey, lending the shared routine of a walk a quiet spiritual dimension. This echoes the layered meaning of Caribbean landscapes found in the work of iconic regional writers including George Lamming, Jean Rhys, and Derek Walcott, where physical place is always also a site of spiritual and emotional resonance.

    Ultimately, Bowen’s work directly echoes Charles Baudelaire’s foundational poem *Correspondences* from *The Flowers of Evil*, which frames nature as a temple where symbols and senses intersect to create a vast, interconnected web of meaning. The painting invites viewers to enter this web, uncovering the visible and invisible bonds that connect people to each other, to their memories, to nature, and to their own emotions.

    The critical analysis of Bowen’s work comes from Valentina Minniti, an emerging Italian art critic and curator who connected with the Grenada Pavilion through the global networks forged at the Biennale. Minniti brings a diverse academic background spanning modern literature, literary criticism, communication, and fine arts; she previously served as a lecturer in English for Arts and Communication at the Academy of Fine Arts in Reggio Calabria from 2022 to 2024, and currently collaborates with Start Group Srl to promote international artistic talent. Her critical practice centers on close observation of artworks as physical objects, examining technique, material, and visual language to uncover layered symbolic, art historical, and psychological meaning. Her contribution to the Grenada Pavilion’s programming strengthens the project’s global reach, building another critical link in the expanding network of international influence for Grenadian and Caribbean art.

    The Grenada Pavilion opened to visitors in May 2026 and will remain on view through November 22, giving art audiences from across Europe and the globe months of access to the Caribbean showcase in the heart of Venice.

  • Nexa Credit Union celebrates outstanding Panorama triumphs

    Nexa Credit Union celebrates outstanding Panorama triumphs

    Grenada’s annual Spicemas Panorama competitions have closed out with historic victories for two teams backed by local financial institution Nexa Credit Union, with the Nexa New Dimension Steel Orchestras earning top and second-place honors across the junior and senior divisions. In a statement released following the competitions, Nexa Credit Union extended warm congratulations to every musician, arranger, and leader of the organization’s two steel orchestras, hailing their standout performances that showcased the depth of Grenada’s iconic steelpan culture.

    The junior cohort kicked off the competitive cultural season with a burst of energy at the Children’s Carnival Frolic, the official opening competition for young steelpan talent. Led by arranger Jeremy Ottley, the Nexa New Dimension Juniors delivered a dynamic, crowd-pleasing arrangement of V’ghn’s hit Jab Decisions, which featured guest vocals from Terra D Governor. The young musicians’ months of disciplined practice, combined with their infectious on-stage joy, earned them a second-place finish in the junior category. This strong result, Nexa Credit Union noted, signals that the next generation of Grenadian steelpan culture is being nurtured by skilled, committed young talent.

    In the marquee Senior Panorama competition, the Nexa New Dimension senior orchestra made cultural history by securing its 15th National Championship title, adding another landmark achievement to its decades-long legacy of excellence. Under the creative direction of arranger Cordel Byam, the band took the stage as the final performer of the night, delivering a masterful interpretation of Sakinah’s I Got Me that earned a stunning 281 points from judges. The orchestra’s precise execution and raw, heartfelt passion held the entire stadium in thrall, ultimately locking in the top spot and bringing the national championship crown back to the ensemble once again.

    Beyond celebrating its own teams’ successes, Nexa Credit Union extended praise to every steelband, arranger, volunteer, and fan across Grenada who contributed to making Spicemas 2026 a resounding success. The institution emphasized that its long-term investment in local cultural development stems from a deep respect for the resilience and artistic excellence of Grenada’s pan community, whose work continues to inspire audiences and participants alike across the country.

    Nexa Credit Union reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to empowering local creative talent, nurturing national cultural pride, and supporting the vibrant community networks that drive Grenada’s social and cultural prosperity. This story was contributed by a partner of NOW Grenada, which notes it is not responsible for contributor opinions or third-party content, and invites users to report any abusive content via official platform channels.

  • Grenada’s AI push needs a sunset test

    Grenada’s AI push needs a sunset test

    As the Caribbean nation of Grenada accelerates its shift from conceptual discussions of digital transformation to tangible on-the-ground implementation, artificial intelligence has emerged as a central pillar of the government’s modernization agenda. The country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division has already elevated AI-powered public administration tools to its list of top strategic priorities, aligning with broader trends across the Caribbean documented at the recent CANTO (Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organisations) conference, which painted a picture of a rapidly evolving regional digital economy increasingly centered on AI innovation. Later this month, Grenada will further cement its role in regional digital development as a co-host of the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum, an event where digital transformation strategies and coordinated regional tech policy will take center stage in discussions.

    This growing momentum for AI adoption opens up significant new opportunities to improve public service delivery, streamline government operations, and boost Grenada’s digital competitiveness. However, it also carries a well-documented risk common to new technology pilot projects: untested initiatives often become permanently embedded in bureaucratic systems not because they deliver proven public value, but simply because they have been implemented and institutionalized over time.

    To address this critical governance gap, behavioral scientist Gleb Tsipursky, PhD, is calling for all public sector AI pilots in Grenada to adopt a mandatory “sunset test” framework before any tool is launched. Under this approach, government agencies are required to set a fixed formal review date before launch, explicitly document the specific public problem the AI tool is intended to solve, establish a baseline measurement of current performance, and outline clear pre-defined criteria that will determine whether the pilot is expanded, modified, or terminated after the review period.

    The specific metrics for a sunset test can be tailored to the function of each AI tool, Tsipursky explains. For example, a citizen-facing public service chatbot would be evaluated based on metrics such as the share of user inquiries that receive a complete, accurate answer on the first interaction (eliminating the need for follow-up contact with human staff), the frequency of incorrect responses that require staff correction, and the types of questions that still demand human intervention. For internal AI drafting tools used by government employees, success would not be measured by the speed of the first draft alone, but by the total net time saved after accounting for required staff review and revisions. For AI systems designed to prioritize public case processing or application reviews, key metrics would include how often human staff override the AI’s ranking recommendations and the core reasons for those overrides.

    Tsipursky emphasizes that sunset testing is non-negotiable because AI systems tend to accumulate hidden, long-term costs that make them difficult to remove even when they fail to deliver on promised value. Over time, employees develop workarounds to compensate for the tool’s flaws, managers restructure entire work processes around the system, and external AI vendors become deeply embedded in government operations. Within just six months of launch, an experimental AI pilot can become nearly impossible to discontinue, even when there is little hard evidence that it actually improves public outcomes.

    This framework does not require Grenada to reject imperfect or experimental AI pilots, Tsipursky notes – intentional experimentation is a necessary part of institutional learning and digital innovation. Instead, it establishes a clear rule that every pilot must prove its public value to earn a permanent place in government infrastructure.

    Conducting a useful sunset test review does not require lengthy, bureaucratic reports: Tsipursky notes that a rigorous review can be completed in a single page, focused on six core questions: What measurable public outcomes improved after implementing the tool? What new unplanned work did the tool create for government staff? What persistent errors continued to occur even with the AI system in place? Where did human judgment remain irreplaceable for delivering high-quality outcomes? Did AI implementation reduce delays for citizens, or did it create additional confusion? And finally, what tangible impact would occur if the tool was removed tomorrow?

    That final question is particularly critical, Tsipursky argues. If an AI pilot has truly become an indispensable part of public service delivery, government leaders deserve a clear explanation of why it creates value. If no team can identify a measurable loss of public value from turning the pilot off, the initiative is almost certainly wasting limited government attention and funding that could be allocated to higher-impact digital projects.

    As a small nation advancing its digital agenda at a rapid pace, Grenada has a unique opportunity to balance speed with disciplined governance, Tsipursky concludes. A mandatory sunset test framework makes experimentation politically and administratively defensible, because every new AI tool is introduced with clear evidence standards and a built-in exit strategy for underperforming initiatives. This approach is the most effective way for Grenada to move fast on digital transformation without allowing unproven yesterdays experiments to become unchallenged, wasteful dependencies tomorrow.

  • Investing in young people across the Caribbean

    Investing in young people across the Caribbean

    Despite the varied social and economic circumstances that shape young lives across the Eastern Caribbean, one unifying thread connects the region’s adolescent population: a widespread desire to access high-quality education, dependable healthcare, and the opportunity to build stable, prosperous futures. As the Caribbean prepares to observe 2026 International Youth Day, which carries the official theme ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’, one regional initiative is turning that shared vision into tangible, on-the-ground change: the Reproductive Education and Adolescent Health Community (REACH) Project.

    Designed to address gaps in adolescent health support across four Eastern Caribbean nations — Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines — the 4-year regional initiative is focused on equipping young people with the tools, knowledge, and resources to make autonomous, informed decisions about their physical and mental well-being. Funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea International in partnership with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Technical Assistance and Education Centre for Health (C-TECH), REACH works hand-in-hand with national health ministries across its member states to strengthen local health systems and expand youth-friendly services.

    In the lead-up to International Youth Day 2026, the REACH Project has rolled out a series of targeted programming to meet the diverse needs of Caribbean adolescents. Most recently, it launched a multi-part webinar series covering five critical, often underdiscussed topics for youth: reproductive health, mental wellness, balanced nutrition, healthy romantic and peer relationships, and constructive communication between teens and parents. These online sessions have intentionally cultivated judgment-free, safe spaces that bring together a cross-section of stakeholders — adolescents themselves, parents, teachers, healthcare providers, and local community leaders — to engage in open, honest dialogue about the most pressing challenges facing young people in the region.

    Between March and May 2026, the project also completed foundational orientation training for more than 138 representatives from national health ministries and local civil society organizations. Trainees gained practical skills and context in core areas including evidence-based sexual and reproductive health guidance, anti-stigma frameworks for working with marginalized youth, asset-based approaches that center adolescent strengths, and modern research on adolescent brain development to better understand young people’s decision-making processes.

    Recognizing that educational awareness alone cannot address the barriers young people face to maintaining good health, the REACH Project has also invested in practical, on-the-ground support to meet immediate needs. In partnership with St Lucia’s Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition, the initiative funded the distribution of 500 hygiene kits to secondary schools across the island, guaranteeing hundreds of adolescents have consistent access to essential hygiene supplies that many otherwise struggle to afford.

    By combining capacity building for frontline stakeholders, expanded access to youth-centered health services, and direct support to address the daily practical needs of adolescents, the REACH Project is working to build more inclusive, supportive environments for young people across the region. Project organizers emphasize that investing in adolescent health and well-being today is not just a benefit for young people themselves: it is an investment in stronger, more resilient communities and a more prosperous future for the entire Caribbean. The initiative’s core mission remains centered on its founding promise: to ensure no adolescent is left behind in the region’s progress, empowering young people to advocate for their own health and build the futures they aspire to.

  • International Youth Day 12 August 2026

    International Youth Day 12 August 2026

    As the global community prepares to mark International Youth Day on August 12, 2026, Gautam Karve, Editor-in-Chief of the World Media Organisation (WMO), has released a commemorative message centering the critical, present-day role of young people across every region of the world.

    Karve’s message emphasizes that young people are far more than just the future leaders of tomorrow — they are already active changemakers, innovators, and leaders driving progress in the present. Their unique perspectives, bold visions, and on-the-ground actions are already reshaping local communities, national policy landscapes, and the long-term trajectory of global society at large.

    Today, the world grapples with a cascade of interconnected, pressing challenges: escalating climate change and global warming, protracted armed conflicts that displace millions, systemic economic and social inequality, widespread youth unemployment, forced mass displacement, and growing threats to global peace and collective security. Karve stresses that these complex issues cannot be resolved by national governments and formal global institutions acting alone. To develop solutions that are inclusive, innovative, and built to last, meaningful and consistent youth participation in decision-making is not just beneficial — it is essential.

    For youth leadership to deliver meaningful impact, Karve argues, it must be anchored in core values of peace, open dialogue, environmental and social sustainability, inclusive participation, and universal humanity. In an era of unprecedented global interconnectedness, young people hold unique access to digital technology, expanded educational opportunities, independent media platforms, and innovative tools that let them connect across divides of borders, cultures, and community identities to build collaborative partnerships.

    To mark this year’s International Youth Day, Karve issued a call to action to young people across every corner of the globe: step forward with courage to amplify your voices, embrace collective and individual responsibility for global progress, pursue lifelong learning to deepen your impact, and turn bold ideas into tangible, positive action. He closed his message with a hopeful note, expressing his wish that the current young generation will continue to inspire inclusive positive change, strengthen cross-cultural peace and mutual understanding, and co-create a global future that is more inclusive, sustainable, prosperous, and peaceful for people of all generations.

  • Safeguards

    Safeguards

    Last weekend, a devastating boat incident during Grenada’s annual Spicemas festival cut short a life and left another person seriously injured, prompting a timely and urgent reflection on how communities address collective risk across all parts of daily life. As a health professional researching preventable harm within Grenada’s healthcare system, this tragedy drove home a critical, often overlooked truth: the line between safety failures inside and outside healthcare is not a line at all – it is an invisible connection. All preventable safety gaps are ultimately public health events. They leave their mark as life-altering trauma, unplanned emergency care, and all too often, irreversible death that could have been avoided if hazards had been addressed proactively.

    Spicemas is far more than a cultural celebration for Grenada: it is the cornerstone of the island’s annual tourism economy, drawing thousands of visitors, supporting hundreds of local livelihoods, and growing steadily in scale each year through the collaborative work of artisans, performers, event organizers, transport operators, food vendors, and local communities that open their public spaces to the festivities. This collective achievement brings widespread benefit, but it also carries a collective risk that is rarely discussed in depth. Every large-scale system, from seasonal cultural events to digital infrastructure, inherently carries new opportunities for harm. A passenger boat carrying festival-goers across coastal waters, a packed street filled with masquerade revelers, a venue holding thousands of attendees – the risk of these spaces is not an accidental side effect of large-scale activity. It is a natural byproduct of growth and scale.

    A common cultural narrative frames safety as an issue of individual responsibility alone. It is true that personal awareness plays a role, but individual diligence is never enough to eliminate systemic risk. The systems and services people use every day – from seasonal carnivals to global digital networks, artificial intelligence tools, and modern mass transportation – are collective creations, not the work of one person. If a single person built an entire system from start to finish, they would understand every hidden hazard and avoid falling victim to them. That is not the reality people live in today. Most people inherit, use, and contribute to collective systems without full knowledge of every underlying risk.

    This gap between individual knowledge and systemic risk is exactly why intentional, collective safeguards exist. Safeguards do not exist to replace individual responsibility. They exist to catch people when individual diligence fails, or when unforeseen circumstances overwhelm personal preparation. They are the structured, deliberate policies, infrastructure, and practices that keep communities safe when individual effort falls short. Consider the example of a modern passenger rail network: high speeds, electrified infrastructure, and dense crowds of people who are not trained in rail safety create an inherently dangerous environment. Yet rail networks carry hundreds of millions of passengers annually with some of the lowest injury and fatality rates of any mode of transport. This is not because every passenger has mastered rail safety protocols. It is because risks have been systematically identified, studied, and mitigated. Clear warning signage, routine public announcements, and dedicated safety staff maintain constant vigilance. Organized collective action has closed the gap between unmanaged risk and public safety.

    This example proves that systemic risk can be systematically managed – and Grenada is uniquely positioned to implement these changes effectively. The island’s small size, often framed as an economic or bureaucratic disadvantage, is actually a structural advantage when it comes to safety reform. Where large nations require years of legislative debate and layers of interagency coordination to update safety rules, a small, cohesive society like Grenada can implement targeted, effective changes quickly and precisely – if there is political and social will to act.

    So what does intentional systemic safety look like in practice for Grenada? The core requirements are well known: proactive risk assessment, advance planning, consistent monitoring, clear accountability, and meaningful incentives for compliance. But applying these principles to local contexts requires asking hard, specific questions. Are there enough qualified safety personnel deployed at large public events during Spicemas? Is public safety information shared clearly and widely with attendees and vendors? Do routine inspections actually guarantee that vessels, venues, and infrastructure meet environmental and public safety standards? How are safety standards enforced consistently across all activities? Do local agencies systematically learn from past incidents to prevent future harm? And in cases where an activity carries unmanageable risk, are we willing to redesign it to protect the public?

    As a community, we build the systems, events, and infrastructure that make modern life in Grenada vibrant and prosperous. We all benefit from these collective creations, so we all share a responsibility to protect the people who use them. When individual diligence fails, it is our collective obligation to put systemic safeguards in place – systematically, consciously, and considerately. After all, why would the responsibility to build our shared world end at the very point where protecting people begins?

  • Sour Serpent, Lil Jelo tie for Calypso crown

    Sour Serpent, Lil Jelo tie for Calypso crown

    Grenada’s iconic annual Dimanche Gras celebration closed out the 2026 Calypso Monarch competition with an unprecedented historic first: a tied first-place finish between two seasoned calypso artists that delivered one of the most memorable finals in recent competition history. Sean “Sour Serpent” Niles, hailing from St David, walked away with his second national crown, adding to his 2019 victory, while Jelonie “Lil Jelo” Fleming claimed the first major senior title of his 20-year career in calypso arts. Both competitors finished with an identical score of 494 points, leaving judges unable to split the two standout performances.

    For Niles, the 2026 win caps off a historic carnival season for his entire family, just weeks after his son Christian “Moti” Niles took home the 2026 Junior Calypso Monarch title. Across his two performances, Niles leaned into sharp, socially conscious commentary that has become a hallmark of his work. His opening number, *Last Resort*, confronted the ongoing crises of gender-based violence and femicide across the region, crafting a moving lyrical plea for transformative intervention to protect women from systemic harm. For his second round, Niles turned his attention to policing and public perceptions of crime with *Unwanted Men*, challenging the long-standing convention of police “Wanted Man” posters. He argued that the framing misrepresents the status of violent offenders, arguing “So let we change that poster and don’t make that mistake again. You’re not wanted in the community; you’re not wanted in the society. Let his posters read unwanted men.”

    For Fleming, the first-place tie represented the payoff for 20 years of sustained dedication to Grenada’s carnival and calypso traditions. He launched his performance career in 2006 singing parang before expanding his repertoire to include soca and eventually competitive calypso. Earlier in the 2026 carnival season, Fleming placed 7th in the Power Soca Monarch competition on Bacchanal Friday, but he outperformed all expectations to share the top spot in the calypso competition.

    Fleming’s set blended sharp political commentary with playful cultural satire that resonated with judges and audiences alike. His opening track *Change* leveraged the word’s dual meaning — referring to both electoral political change and loose small-denomination currency — to reflect on Grenada’s recent political shifts. He referenced the New National Party’s once-landslide election victory and its subsequent erosion of public support, weaving the narrative into a thoughtful calypso reflection. For his second performance, he turned a beloved local cultural quirk into comedy with *Bus Association*, playing on the Grenadian slang term “bussing,” which describes when a performer forgets their lyrics on stage. Fleming drew a parallel between the route stickers displayed on public buses and the need for calypsonians to have their own “route stickers” to keep them on track with their lyrics, drawing laughs across the venue.

    The competition carried quiet echoes of calypso history, even as it made new history. Organizers confirmed early in the event that 11-time former Calypso Monarch Finley “Scholar” Jeffrey would not defend his crown, ending his long streak of competitive appearances. Though Jeffrey did not compete, he returned for a special guest performance outside the official rankings. His influence was tangible throughout the competition: it was Jeffrey who first recognized and nurtured Fleming’s vocal talent during Fleming’s early days competing in the Junior Calypso division, laying the groundwork for his 2026 breakthrough win.

    Rounding out the top four were two other standout competitors: Carriacou’s 2024 Calypso Monarch Killa B took third place with 492 points, just two points behind the tied winners, while Valene secured fourth place with 488 points. The 2026 result marks steady upward progress for Valene, who placed 6th in the 2024 national competition and 9th in 2025, climbing steadily closer to a top podium finish. The full top 11 results saw Innocent take fifth place with 480 points, Big J sixth with 479, Jerenton seventh with 477, Randy Isaac eighth with 476, Father Paul ninth with 469, Sherrine tenth with 468, and Messenger eleventh with 464 points.

    Between competitive sets, the Dimanche Gras showcase paused to honor veteran artists who have shaped decades of Grenadian calypso culture, formal recognizing their decades of dedication to the art form. Special tribute awards were presented to Finber “Shortpree” Andrews and Jerry “Papa Jerry” Andrews to mark 25 years of sustained contributions to the national calypso landscape. Veteran cultural leaders Randy Isaac and Elimus “Inspector” Gilbert also received honors celebrating their 40 years of continuous work supporting and performing calypso across Grenada.

  • Nexa New Dimension wins 15th National Senior Panorama title

    Nexa New Dimension wins 15th National Senior Panorama title

    The 2026 SMC Senior Panorama finals concluded with a historic victory for Nexa New Dimension Steel Orchestra, which claimed its landmark 15th National Senior Panorama title after closing out the night’s competition as the final performing band. Taking the stage as the 8th and last act of the evening, the ensemble delivered a standout performance of Cordel Byam’s arrangement of Sakinah’s popular hit “I Got Me”, earning a total score of 281 points to secure the top position on the leaderboard.

    Second place went to Republic Bank Angel Harps, which racked up 273 points for its dynamic interpretation of Mr Gold’N’s “Down in Greenz”, arranged by Orlando Thomas and Gerard “Gerry” Tamar. Closing out the top three was IMA Rainbow City All Stars, which earned 267 points for its rendition of Shortpree’s “Town Action” under the musical direction of arranger Jevon Andrews. Rounding out the full top eight results were Pan Wizards in fourth with 264 points for “The Return”, Co-op Bank Commancheros in fifth with 260 points for “Party Different”, Gravel & Concrete Pan Angels in sixth with 241 points, Pan Ossia in seventh with 240 points, and debuting ensemble St Mark’s All Stars in eighth with 231 points for their performance of “No Place Sweeter Than Home”.

    Founded in March 1988, Nexa New Dimension has long held its reputation as one of Grenada’s most successful and consistent steel orchestras. Beyond its newly added 15th National Senior Panorama title, the band also holds seven wins from the Pan Xpressions competitions, cementing its status as a powerhouse in the local steelpan community.

    Every high-stakes competition result is built on months of unseen dedication, and this year’s Panorama was no exception. Band members and support crews launched their on-site operations hours before the first performance, working through pre-event logistics that included hauling heavy instrument stands, positioning dozens of steel pans across the stage, and running final rehearsals to refine every note. The grueling work extended long after the final score was announced, with crews loading instruments back onto trucks, returning equipment to pan yards, and transporting members home after the competition wrapped up past midnight. One participating band member shared that he did not arrive back at his residence until 9 a.m. the following Sunday, a testament to the relentless effort required to pull off the annual event.

    Beyond the competition, the 2026 finals opened with a heartfelt tribute to six recently deceased pillars of Grenada’s steelpan movement, honoring their lifelong contributions to growing and preserving the cultural art form. The six contributors recognized during the ceremony were Denis “Moppy, Briggy” Philip, Kenton “Fry” Roberts, Roger “Jazzy” DePradine, Othniel “Boogsie” St Claire, Mykal “Blaize” Robertson, and Joanna Radgill Leslie.

    The evening also celebrated the breadth and future of Grenada’s steelpan culture. Calypso competitor Valene Nedd opened the event with a special tribute performance “Big Up D Pan Man”, honoring the work of both male and female pan players and enthusiasts across the country. A key highlight of this year’s competition was the visible intergenerational participation, with multiple bands pairing seasoned veteran performers with young musicians as young as 7 years old. Additionally, St Mark’s All Stars made their first ever appearance on the national Panorama stage, marking a new milestone for the community. This combination of emerging young talent and new competing groups underscores the steady growth and evolving future of steelpan artistry among Grenada’s younger generations, tied to Spicemas carnival celebrations.

  • 2 first-time finalists crowned Grenada’s newest Soca Monarchs

    2 first-time finalists crowned Grenada’s newest Soca Monarchs

    Grenada’s iconic annual Spicemas festival delivered a historic night of celebration during Bacchanal Friday 2026, as two first-time monarchs claimed top honors in the island’s prestigious Soca Monarch competition — breaking long-standing barriers and delivering unforgettable performances for thousands of attendees.

    In the Groovy Soca category, Sabrina Francis made history as the first woman ever to win the Groovy Soca Monarch title, ousting the defending champion Mr Gold’n in a tight and hotly contested race. The performer, daughter of veteran Grenadian calypsonian Lady Empress, already boasts an established international career in Afro-Caribbean pop, with credits ranging from opening for Nigerian star Asa at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall to sharing stages with Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Pentatonix. She has also headlined acclaimed regional creative projects including *Wide Open* and *Meet Me at the Mango Tree*. Her award-winning track “Honour You” was crafted by production team Stemz Productions, with mixing and mastering completed by Johann “Madman” Seaton.

    The final results for the 2026 Groovy Soca Monarch competition saw Boyzie secure second place, alongside a special award for Best Groovy Intro Video, while Muddy took third. Riggy Atmosphere placed fourth, with outgoing champion Mr Gold’n slipping to fifth place, followed by Jeverson in sixth, Blaka Dan in seventh, a tie for eighth between Terra D Governor and Luni Spark and Electrify, Sakinah in tenth, Shortpree in eleventh, and Lazer HD in twelfth.

    Reflecting on her groundbreaking debut competition run, Francis noted that performing on the Soca Monarch stage, which hosted a crowd of 10,000, had already reshaped her approach to her craft. “Performing on a big monarch stage is very, very different. There’s a different way you have to speak, a different way you have to carry yourself, command 10,000 people,” she shared. “I will take a lot from this experience going forward.”

    In the high-energy Power Soca division, first-time finalist Rio “Snakey” St Paul pulled off a stunning Cinderella run to claim the 2026 Power Soca Monarch crown with his dynamic entry “Raging Seas”. Produced by Alix “XILA” Aird (also known as Sandman) and mastered by Rezonance, the track secured St Paul a decisive first-place finish after years of grinding to reach the top of the competition. St Paul, an active police constable (badge number 309) representing St John, previously competed in the 2024 Power Soca Monarch contest, where he advanced to the semifinal round but narrowly missed qualifying for the final stage. Two years later, he returned sharper and more determined, walking away with the top prize on his first final appearance.

    Ahead of his winning performance, St Paul opened up about the mindset that carried him to victory, emphasizing the power of self-confidence. “Just think positive and shoot and go because the success starts from you,” he said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, people won’t believe in you. Believe in yourself, and people will believe in you.”

    Defending Power Soca champion Muddy finished as runner-up and took home the award for Best Power Soca Intro Video, while Lil Kerry claimed third place. Rounding out the top 12 were Bubbah 473 in fourth, Terra D Governor in fifth, Mansly in sixth, Lil Jelo in seventh, Luni Spark and Electrify in eighth, Happy Boy in ninth, Shequan in tenth, Mello in eleventh, and General PP in twelfth.

    Friday’s coronation closes out a milestone chapter for Grenada’s Spicemas festival, marking the first time a woman has won the Groovy Soca Monarch title, and seeing two rising soca talents claim the sport’s most prestigious crowns in the same year.