The Jamaica Gospel Competition was introduced by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission in 1987, as the Commission pursued its vision of unearthing, developing and showcasing the best of Jamaican culture. It has quickly become an iconic presentation of indigenous gospel music in Jamaica. The competition since its inception has attracted an average of over 260 artistes, producers and song writers of original gospel music each year.

In years’ the competition island-wide auditions were introduced, with the hope of attracting more artistes and tapping into a wider gospel talent pool across Jamaica. Over 400 gospel hopefuls auditioned across the island and at this level, competitors were evaluated based on the originality of the songs they presented. This was followed by an elimination round, where the judges made selections based on performance and overall delivery. At the semi –final round, entrants were invited and from that grouping, the ten finalists were selected.

The 2008 competition, under the theme “One God…One Family”, will get into full gear with a series of road shows or ‘street blockers’ that will be held in various parishes across the island. The artistes will also go through a series of workshops, which are intended to provide them with the necessary grooming and training, while familiarizing them with the music industry. The workshops will be addressed by professionals within the Jamaican Gospel music industry. The road-shows will provide the participants with an opportunity to perform for large audiences and further hone and develop performance skills before the final show.

At the final show, the participants are encouraged to provide a professional performance and are assisted by the JCDC to choreograph and prepare their acts. The public will be given an opportunity to get to know each artiste and to vote for them through a special television series “Gospel Vibe, Jamaican Style”, featuring all ten artistes. The series is scheduled to air on CVM TV starting in June 2008.

This year’s final show will be held on Saturday, July 26 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.

See a list of our past National Gospel Song winners