On Sunday, we witnessed history at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, as some of our favorite creatives earned well-deserved recognition. From Beyoncé becoming the first Black woman to win a Grammy for Best Country Album, to Doechii’s win as the third woman to take home the Grammy for Best Rap Album, and Kendrick Lamar’s impressive five-Grammy sweep for one of 2024’s biggest songs, this year’s Grammys truly celebrated creative excellence. It was a testament to persistent effort, hard work, and the dedication to honing one’s craft.
For years, we’ve seen Caribbean creatives tirelessly perfect their skills, yet often without the global recognition they deserve. Recently, however, the landscape has begun to shift. Regional awards like the Caribbean Music Awards and local initiatives like the Virgin Islands Icon Awards have emerged with a shared mission: to celebrate and honor creatives from our islands while they’re here to receive their flowers.
For years, we’ve seen Caribbean creatives tirelessly perfect their skills, yet often without the global recognition they deserve. Recently, however, the landscape has begun to shift. Regional awards like the Caribbean Music Awards and local initiatives like the Virgin Islands Icon Awards have emerged with a shared mission: to celebrate and honor creatives from our islands while they’re here to receive their flowers.
Caribbean creatives have made significant contributions to global creative industries, spanning music, film, art, and beyond. While global brands like the Grammys have introduced categories like Best Reggae Album, greater representation is still needed. This year, Vybz Kartel’s “Party With Me” and Shenseea’s “Never Gets Late Here” lost to a Bob Marley tribute album inspired by the film “One Love,” prompting questions about the fairness of the competition, especially given the absence of a dedicated Dancehall category.
The Caribbean Music Awards were created to address this very issue, celebrating a diverse range of Caribbean genres, from Dancehall and Soca to Kompa. Virgin Islands creatives have already seen nominations and wins, with Adam O making history in 2023 as the first Virgin Islander nominated by the show. In 2024, Star Martin followed in his footsteps and received the same nomination for Best New Soca Artist, 5’2 presented, Pressure performed, and Pumpa won the Soca Impact Award.
Photo Credit: Caribbean Music Awards
The Virgin Islands Icon Awards, launched last year on Virgin Islands Day, filled attendees with pride and joy. Each category winner receives a custom trophy depicting a figure holding a Virgin Islands sloop. Just as international awards like the Grammys, Golden Globes, and Oscars have signature awards, the Virgin Islands Icon Awards created something special for Virgin Islanders—an event they can attend in their hometown with the possibility of becoming a winner.
Young creatives like Monéa won Performer of the Year, Brent took home Social Media Influencer of the Year, Kristin Frazer was recognized for Fashion Design, Ronn Grant for Media Production, and our founder, Kyra James Douglas, was honored as Emerging Youth Talent, receiving a $5,000 grant.
Photo Credit: Dame Peters for The Virgin Islands Icon Awards
While global recognition is valuable, being celebrated by one’s own community is profoundly special. It signifies that your work is making a lasting impact on your culture and community.
Therefore, it’s crucial for us to actively support these emerging platforms as they establish themselves as vital sources of recognition for local and regional excellence. As we enjoy the excitement of awards season, let’s remember that there are shows specifically designed to celebrate homegrown talent, and we can submit our favorite creatives for nomination.
Click here to nominate someone for Caribbean Music Awards before February 10th.
Click here to nominate someone for Virgin Islands Icon Awards before 15th March.
Young creatives like Monéa won Performer of the Year, Brent took home Social Media Influencer of the Year, Kristin Frazer was recognized for Fashion Design, Ronn Grant for Media Production, and our founder, Kyra James Douglas, was honored as Emerging Youth Talent, receiving a $5,000 grant.
