Click to view full size

GRAMMY Award-winning nationals, music video producer Jolene Mendes and conductor Kwame Ryan, have ignited a wave of national pride and were yesterday hailed for spotlighting Trinidad and Tobago’s “excellence” on a world stage.

Sunday’s 2026 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California caused celebration locally when Mendes collected an award as one of the producers for Best Music Video—Doechii’s “Anxiety”, while Ryan copped a golden gramophone for Best Opera Recording for his conducting of “Intelligence” by Jake Heggie with the Houston Grand Opera. Ryan is also the son of late political scientist Selwyn Ryan.

Mendes accepted the award on behalf of the team as Doechii and the video’s director, James Mackel, were not in attendance at the ceremony. In her acceptance remarks, Mendes said “as a producer, it makes it the best job in the world when we get to work with incredible creators like them”.