JAMAICA'S INDEPENDENCE SONG COMPETITION WINNER 2018 - 2019 

 

The Diasopora Jamaican Independence Song Competition #JamInVoiceofJA competition brought to you by Jamaicans Inspired, Latchmere Productions in partnership with JCDC Jamaica.


 

Chemina Dixon-Nduka, 2018 JamIn Voice of JA Winner


UK-based Jamaican Chemina Dixon-Nduka was announced as the winner of this year’s JamIn Voice of JA song competition on Saturday, July 7, 2018. The competition which exists to promote reggae music and Jamaica’s rich culture will afford Chemina the opportunity to travel on an all expense life changing trip to Jamaica; where she is set to perform during the official Jamaica Independence celebrations. 

 

31 year old Chemina Dixon-Nduka who was born in London Newham, lived in Jamaica and spent her early childhood years in Kingston with her Grandmother. In her early years, Chemina was always singing and following a recommendation made by her older cousin, she became the youngest member of the Bethel Baptist Church Junior Choir at approximately age 6. In her schools in Jamaica and most definitely in her secondary school in the UK, she was well known for her love of singing by her closest friends and was given the pet name C.D. Rhymes. Chemina was a member of her secondary school choir who performed at The Royal Albert Hall and also received vocal training during the course of her studies at that school.


Music has been a constant in Chemina’s life from the day she was born. Chemina’s closest influences have been her mother who always sang at home and today still enjoys her Lovers Rock songs by artistes such as Marcia Griffiths. She is also influenced by her roots reggae, recording artiste father, Afrikan Simba. Her love for music, singing and songwriting has always been supported and encouraged and while her adult life has been more focused on being a parent and studying, she has never stayed away from the stage, she writes as often as possible and performs at events whenever the occasion presents itself.

 

Chemina started out singing mostly R ‘n’ B music and has been heavily influenced by Mary J Blige, Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston. In recent years, Chemina has started to reinvent her sound adding her R ‘n’ B style to some Reggae beats and has been compared to reggae singers like Alaine and Etana. Chemina is currently working on putting together a mix that includes reggae covers as well as a few of her recent original reggae pieces.

 

According to Chemina she had decided to get involved in the JamIn Voice of JA Competition when she saw that it was an opportunity to gain experience and exposure on a wider scale in the place that she calls home. Speaking at the finals of the JamIn Voice JA Competition Chemina noted, “Over the years as I’ve gotten older, I’ve said to myself that if I ever made it in music, I would want it to be where the music I love the most comes from; in the same way a child would seek approval or praise from their parent when doing good, I want nothing more than to make my people proud, no one else’s opinion or approval matters more to me than that of my people.

She further added, “The encouragement I received from my friends, really gave me the confidence to go for it. I also looked into the JamIn UK organisation saw what they were all about and thought to myself, this is something I want to be a part of, competition or no competition, I want to be a part of anything that brings us all together in a positive way and as it happens music has a way of doing that.”

Chairman, Jamaicans Inspired, Nathaniel Peat said that the standard of this year’s competition was very good. He also noted, “The event was a great showcase of young Jamaican talent, it was entertaining from beginning to end. The JamIn Voice of JA is now becoming an annual Jamaican Independence celebration event now working on partnership with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and can’t wait to see what next year will bring.” The event was attended by His Excellency Seth George Ramocan, High Commissioner of Jamaica to the United Kingdom and Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs. Angella Rose-Howell.

 JamIn Voice JA, Jamaica’s Independence Song Writing Competition joins in the celebration of the 56th Independence of Jamaica, the 55th year of the JCDC and the 50th year of the word "REGGAE." The show is scheduled to be broadcasted on the Release TV show which is aired on CVM and other networks in Canada, the USA and Eastern Caribbean. JamIn Voice of Jamaica 2018 is supported by Grace Foods, Victoria Mutual, Enterprise (Jamaica), Bow Law Chambers, GeNNex, Reggae Brittania, PUNCH records and Aravun.

 

Media Partners & Support

Any sponsors interested in the opportunity to sponsor the 2019 competition and Jamaica activities contact exec@jamaicans-inspired.com 

*The Jamaica 56th Independence Song Competition - JamIn Voice of JA is not affiliated or associated with UKUnsigned / SABA Jamaica Song Competition. It is a completely separate competition"