Last Sunday, the Caribbean Rhythms Showcase (CRS) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston was a huge success. CRS brought together artists from across the Caribbean and prominent figures in the international music industry to provide a venue for networking, development and stardom.
“We have brought together talent from across the Caribbean for a first-of-its-kind event. Associated with it, we have brought together music executives from North America, Europe, the UK…and our partners in Africa. We had 20 buyers from the market, we had producers, managers and talent buyers and we brought both people together in a four day experience and at the end we emphasized that each talent would play two songs,” said Head. Line Entertainment managing director Jerome Hamilton explained.
Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominican Federation, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Guyana participated. Talents were selected by her team of six judges from over 200 applicants. Each was given the opportunity to contribute original songs and covers of all sorts of tracks including reggae, dancehall, afrobeat, caribbean pop and soca. Workshops, tours and other networking opportunities were hosted prior to the live performance to give everyone a chance to connect before the grand production.
While speaking with Hamilton, I can’t elaborate on whether any deal was formally brokered. Sunday Greeneroutlined that some of the participants were already discussing their next steps in their careers.
“There were a few people who signed with Audiomack. One has already embarked on a project with a publisher trying to get him material to sing on, so so far the signs are promising.Many contacts have been made. But we are now trying to follow up on everything,” he said.
“Then I got emails from some music people. From the talent to the organization to seeing the Jamaican culture,” continued Hamilton.
According to Hamilton, the move to host the showcase in Jamaica was intentional as Jamaica is the largest music business in the Caribbean. Experiencing the layout of the land gave them a better understanding of the work that goes into the music business. It gave exposure that could boost a career.
“People from Dominica, St. Vincent, St. Lucia…the people we invited got to interact with them for a few days, but they don’t always have these opportunities. It was an opportunity to bring them out.The truth is that there is a lot of talent out there, but they may not meet the right person’s gaze or the right time. See people as winners, there are so many benefits to a showcase like this that even if you don’t get any business out of here, you can go home and be inspired. experience,” said Hamilton.
As for the next showcase, it will ultimately come down to how many tangible deals and success stories will come out of this staging. The event was funded by the Caribbean Export Development Authority, which primarily focuses on regional trade and investment promotion agencies focused on building a resilient Caribbean.
aaliyah.cunningham@gleanerjm.com
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