Jamaica the land of Reggae, will be the host country for 37th Annual International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA) 2019.
With the endorsement of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the coveted red carpet IRAWMA celebration will be held at the Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, May 11, 2019.
Ephraim Martin, President of Martin’s International made the official announcement at a Press Launch, last Thursday at the offices of JamPro in Kingston.
The 2019 IRAWMA will honor the best of reggae and world music for the year 2018, and will salute “TheReggae50”, fifty years of Reggae from 1968/69 to present.
Nominations underway
The nomination ballot for reggae and world music experts and others in the entertainment industry to nominate the best of 2018 is now available online for those in the music industry to participate in selecting the best of 2018.
The nomination process will run from November 2018, through March 01, 2019.
Immediately following the announcement of the 2018 nominees in March of 2019, reggae and world music fans, along with the general public will begin voting to select winners in all the competitive categories.
Voting will be online with an option to mail-in the voting ballot..
Thursday’s Press Launch was moderated by Jamaica’s veteran radio personality, Norma Brown, with remarks from IRAWMA’s, Chief Marketing Officer, Drew Barrett, noted singer and producer of “Rebel Salute”, Tony Rebel and Copeland Forbes – Reggae Industry Legend, who has been associated with IRAWMA from the beginning.
Mr. Forbes, reminded the media that May 11th, also marks, the day that Robert Nesta (Bob) Marley made his transition.
Potential for attracting visitors to Jamaica
With the full support of Jamaica and other committed partners, IRAWMA can bring upward of 1000 visitors to Jamaica for the weekend Awards celebration and will have a national broadcast in the USA and other global markets.
This is the fourth time in IRAWMA’s 37-year history that Jamaica has been the host country, but the first time it will be held in Kingston.
Earlier this year, the 36th Annual International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMA) in conjunction with the 37th Chicago Music Awards was for the first time televised on NBC TV Chicago and was a huge success.
