The fifth Jamaica International Independence Foreign Song Competition (JIIFSC) takes place on July 26 in Snellville, Georgia with seven artists competing for the top prize of US$8,000 and a trophy.
Ernel Earlington and his harmony group Doxology will defend their crown. Their entry is ‘If yuh Love Jamaica sey Yes’, a Ska song. Last year, they won with ‘Jamaica Nice’.
Their rivals this year are Chawlih Crux out of Washington DC with ‘Jamaica Now’, Dion Knibb from Boston ‘My Sweet Jamaica’, Lisa Blackford representing Virginia with ‘My Jamaica Home Sweet Home’, IJAHKNOWAH out of Georgia with ‘Yardie’, Lee “Priest” Johnson, also based in Georgia ‘Jamaica ina mi Blood’ and Tania Lou from Canada with ‘Jamaica Soul’.
The runner-up will receive $4,000 and a trophy, with third place collecting $1,000.
Dr. Garfield McCook, a Jamaican businessman who lives in Atlanta, started the event in 2021. Inspired by the long-running Festival Song Contest in Jamaica, it is open to Jamaicans in the Diaspora.
Lavie Lujah, a longtime Toronto resident, won the inaugural contest with ‘Certified Yardie’. In 2022, the winner was ‘IRIE’ by GoddySon out of New York, with Ohio-based Leon “LeTonick” Denton winning in 2023 with ‘Jamaican in Mi’.
