Dancehall singjay Nesbeth (left) collecting his award for Best Song at the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) from event founder Ephraim Martin at the Coral Gables Center in Florida last Saturday. (Photos: Contributed)
My Dream, singjay Nesbeth’s anthem of self-belief, won Best Song at the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) at the Coral Gables Arts Center in Florida last Sunday.
Produced by Entertainment Soul, My Dream took off on radio shortly after its release in 2015 and gave Nesbeth his mainstream break after years of recording.
Other noted winners were Popcaan (Entertainer of The Year); Christopher Martin (Best Male Vocalist); Etana (Best Female Vocalist); Morgan Heritage (Best Album/CD for Strictly Roots); Sia and Sean Paul (Best Crossover Song for Cheap Thrills).
There were four recipients of the Martin’s International IRAWMA Lifetime Award for contribution to music. Former Third World drummer and producer Willie Stewart; singer/author Cedella Marley; disc jockey G T Taylor; and rocksteady group The Cables.
The Martin’s International Special Legacy Award Of Honour went to IRIE FM and VP Records. The award for over 40 years contribution to the music industry went to music producer Danny Breakenridge and musician Desmond Gaynor.
List of IRAWMA winners
Best Gospel Song —
If It Is Not You by Kevin Downswell
Best Male DJ/Rapper — Vybz Kartel
Best Female DJ/Rapper— Spice
Best New Entertainer — Skip Marley
Best Calypso/Soca Song — Teddyson John
Best Latin Song — Pitbull
Best African Song — Chop Kiss by Shatta Wale
Best Soukous Song — Selfie by Koffi Olomide
Best Belizean Entertainer — Lova Boy
Best R&B/Hip Hop Song — Work by Rihanna and Drake
Best Reggae-Rock Song — Slightly Stoopid for The Prophet
Best Chutney Entertainer — Shiva Lakhan
Best Music Video — Powerful by Major Lazer, featuring Tarrus Riley and Ellie Goulding
Best Spoken Word/Poet — Mutabaruka
Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer — Tarrus Riley
Most Outstanding Show Band/Group — Inner Circle
Most Consistent Entertainer— Yellowman
Most Promising Entertainer — Stonebwoy
Best Instrumentalist — Dean Fraser
Most Popular Sound System/Selector — Tony Matterhorn
Concert of the Year — Reggae Sumfest
Most Outstanding Dance Group — National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC)
Haitian Entertainer of the Year —JBeatz
Best Caribbean Entertainer — Beres Hammond
Recording Producer of The Year — Chimney Records
Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award —Cedella Marley
Entertainer of The Year (Florida) Rohan Gunter
Florida’s Best Haitian Entertainer — JBeatz
Best Latin Entertainer— Nicky Jam
Best Gospel Song — Papa San
Most Popular Dance DJ — Supa Sound
Award of Honour for Outstanding Contribution to the Music Industry — Michael Brown of Mikey B Promotions.
