Caribbean National Weekly

Lady Lava leads 2026 Caribbean Music Awards nominations as voting opens

By Sheri-kae McLeod··1 min read
Lady Lava leads 2026 Caribbean Music Awards nominations as voting opens
Key Points(5)
  • Lady Lava leads 2026 Caribbean Music Awards nominations as voting opens The Caribbean Music Awards is set to return for its fourth annual edition, with organizers announcing an expanded lineup of more than 250 nominees across over 40 categories as voting officially opens for the 2026 cycle.
  • Voting began on June 10, 2026, and will remain open until August 10, giving fans a two-month window to cast ballots for winners across genres including dancehall, soca, reggae, konpa, zess, bouyon, chutney soca, and other Caribbean and diaspora sounds.
  • Full details are available at CaribMusicAwards.com.
  • This year marks the most expansive edition of the awards to date, with organizers pointing to the continued global growth and diversification of Caribbean music.
  • Lady Lava leads this year’s nominations with nine nods across multiple genres and performance categories, making her the most nominated artist of the 2026 cycle.

The Caribbean Music Awards is set to return for its fourth annual edition, with organizers announcing an expanded lineup of more than 250 nominees across over 40 categories as voting officially opens for the 2026 cycle.

Voting began on June 10, 2026, and will remain open until August 10, giving fans a two-month window to cast ballots for winners across genres including dancehall, soca, reggae, konpa, zess, bouyon, chutney soca, and other Caribbean and diaspora sounds. Full details are available at CaribMusicAwards.com.

This year marks the most expansive edition of the awards to date, with organizers pointing to the continued global growth and diversification of Caribbean music.

Lady Lava leads this year’s nominations with nine nods across multiple genres and performance categories, making her the most nominated artist of the 2026 cycle.

She is followed by Ayetian, Machel Montano, and V’ghn, who each secured seven nominations. Shenseea and Skillibeng earned six nominations each, while Masicka, Popcaan, Valiant, Vybz Kartel, and Yung Bredda each received five.

A second tier of strong contenders with four nominations includes Full Blown, Jesse Royal, Joé Dwèt Filé, Kes, Lila Iké, Lola Doll, Mical Teja, Mikado, and Voice.

On the song side, “Shake It to the Max (Fly) Remix” by Moliy, Skillibeng, Shenseea and Silent Addy leads with three nominations, making it the most nominated track of the year.

Other multiple-nominated songs include “Wah Yo Deh Pon,” “Passenger Princess,” “Jab Decisions,” and “4 Kampé II,” underscoring a year defined by collaboration and cross-genre momentum.

Organizers say the 2026 nominations reflect a rapidly evolving Caribbean music landscape shaped by genre fusion, regional crossover success, and expanding global reach.

Building on last year’s ceremony, which aired on BET for the first time, the Caribbean Music Awards continues to position itself as a global platform for Caribbean music and culture.

Voting remains open until August 10, 2026.

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