The entry deadline for the Jamaica 60 Festival Song Competition has been extended to Friday, March 18.
According to the competition’s Committee Chairman, Orville Hill, this allows more time for potential entrants to complete their entries before submission better.
“This is a special year for the Festival Song Competition as it is Jamaica 60, our Diamond Jubilee, and so our potential entrants gave us feedback that they needed more time to improve their entries. Given that we are focused on accepting and promoting only the best, we have decided to extend the entry deadline to accommodate enhancement of the entry product.” Hill said.
“I also encourage all other Jamaican singers and songwriters who are interested in entering this year’s competition but just needed an extra push to take advantage of this deadline extension. We are looking for a memorable, festive, and patriotic song that can tie the yearlong Jamaica 60 Independence celebrations together and help to unite Jamaicans across the globe,” Hill continued.
The competition, which is open to all Jamaicans 18 years and older, has produced many notable artists over its almost six decades while cementing its place on Jamaicans’ annual independence celebrations roster both at home and abroad.
Persons interested in entering the Jamaica Festival Song competition may do so on the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) website www.jcdc.gov.jm.
The entrants’ digital entry will require them to upload an MP3 file format of their song and an adjoining lyric sheet to the JCDC’s website. The entry fee is J$1,000.
Individuals may also find additional information regarding the competition’s rules and guidelines on the JCDC’s website.
The Jamaica Festival Song Competition, which was first staged in 1966, has helped to launch and advance the careers of some of Jamaica’s most acclaimed singers and songwriters. Winners of the competition have included Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, Eric Donaldson, Roy Rayon, Stanley Beckford, and the newest 2020 and 2021 winners, reggae superstar Buju Banton and dancehall dynamite’ Stacious,‘ respectively.
