There were a few moments of laughter and high excitement over at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Saturday night as more than 30 semifinalists sang and danced their hearts out hoping to impress the judges enough to secure one of the 10  slots available in the 2026 Jamaica Festival Song Competition.

Staged by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the semifinal show for the 2026 Jamaica Festival Song Competition was free to  the public, but attendees comprised mainly family members and friends of the contestants who travelled from across the island to lustily cheer them on.

As the contestants took to the stage, starting with contestant number FS 29017, Denton Harris from Manchester, with Proud Jamaica, followed by Dalton Lindo (FS 29334) with Rebuild Jamaica and Dinno Pinnock from Portland with Wi Carry Jamaica and Andrew Livingston with Nah Sell Out Jamaica, a pattern emerged. Patriotism was the name of the game and the word ‘Jamaica’ was used in 25 of the 33 song titles presented. However, as chief judge, Roy Rayon, pointed out, “it is fine if you have ‘Jamaica’, but that is not the only ingredient”.