André Jebbinson, Staff Reporter
THIS YEAR'S Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Popular Song Contest winner will be decided on July 15, when one of the 10 finalists will win $1 million, along with a recording contract with Stage Records.
The second and third place winners will receive $150,000 and $10,000 respectively. Other prizes include phones with credit, outfits and weekend resort getaways.
The rigorous selection process sorted through 287 entrants, who submitted a recording of their song along with a printout of the words. The songs were screened internally, followed by a live audition of those who made the first cut to decide the semi-finalists.
Producers were then called in for discussions. "The competition is really for the producers," said Marcia Hextall, executive director of the JCDC.
After different promotions and video shoots, this year's competition will be officially presented to the public at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on May 17.
COMPETITION LOSING GROUND
According to Hextall, the JCDC is trying to get the contest back to what it used to be. "The heyday of the competition was in the '80s," she said. The strategy is to return the competition to being a popular song and not just a festival song contest. "People were shying away from the competition because, as an artiste, that had no future for you," she said.
Hextall believes that with a popular song, artistes and producers will not be confined to just the competition. "Until you can win a festival and have a number one on the charts, it not helping you," she said.
According to Hextall, the competition has lost ground because of a lack of "substantial media" exposure, although efforts are being made to secure increased sponsorship to improve the situation. The JCDC has retained Cable and Wireless as the main sponsor, while Tastee Patties, the competition's longest running sponsor, is still on board.
Hextall noted that 2006 'Digicel Rising Stars' winner, Christopher Martin, placed fourth in last year's JCDC gospel competition but not many people know. "This is simply because we don't have the exposure of a 'Rising Stars'," she said.
The competition is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Toots and the Maytals' Bam Bam coming out on top in the first contest in 1966. Eric Donaldson would emerge five years later with Cherry Oh Baby, the first of seven victories, which make him the person with the most victories ever.
The JCDC will continue to recognise past winners. The first such award was made to Hibbert last year.
