1 month ago
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With Governor General Sir Patrick Allen as the patron, the East Lawns of King’s House as the venue, the date announced as Emancipation Day, Friday August 1, and all net proceeds going to charity, the concert headlined by gospel powerhouse Cece Winans certainly ranks high on importance and significance.
The More Than This Concert stop in Jamaica is one of the whopping 60 legs on Winans’ world tour, and from all indications, it is set to be a sold-out affair. Winans has long been a staple in Jamaican households, and the younger generation, as well as their parents and grandparents, has been captivated by her version of Goodness of God, which is an all-round anthem, from the dancehall to the church halls and everything in between. When it was played recently at Ding Dong’s launch, one guest commented, “From yuh hear da song yah yuh know seh di dance a guh start.”
At the official launch on Wednesday evening at Guardian Life on Trafalgar Road, the organisers, Come Alive Collective, shared quite a bit of information about the event, which “is a moment to uplift lives through music, through faith and through love”. Beneficiaries of the concert are the Governor General’s Programme for Excellence, the Ophthalmology Unit at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Yadel Home for Children, Open Door Jamaica Foundation, and other charities.
In his address, Eric Hosin , chairman of Come Alive, stated that the event “is more than just a concert ... It is a powerful platform for celebrating our hard-earned Emancipation and fostering community spirit, hope and positivity”. He also shared that Winans did not have the Caribbean on her schedule until 2026, but she was persuaded to make a stop in Jamaica this year.
“This concert is an opportunity for bringing the nation together in worship and will serve as a call to the Lord Jesus Christ and to righteousness. This is an opportunity for everyone, Christians and non-Christians, to attend an uplifting, family-friendly high-quality concert. Your ticket is a contribution to charity. We are aiming for 15,000 strong and I can tell you the venue can accommodate 20,000, and in fact, we can even stretch it to 22,000 and we will still have some space ... you will have room to dance and shout and not hit anybody,” Eric Hosin said..
He added, “As a country ... even with what happened recently with the nine-year-old young lady ... this is not the Jamaica I grew up in. Our society is not where it should be. There is a grave concern about where we are heading and the things that are happening in our country and we are hopeful that even through this event people will be called to a sense of righteousness and holiness and to honour God.”
Hosin revealled that the event has an official prayer partner in the form of the Jamaica House of Prayer.
American singer, Cece Winans, whose real name is Priscilla Marie Love, is the best-selling and most-awarded female gospel singer of all time. One of the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, Winans has earned 17 Grammy Awards, 31 GMA Dove Awards, 19 Stellar Awards, seven NAACP Image Awards and four Billboard Music Awards. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame.
Winans performed in Jamaica in 2018, also on Emancipation Day, at Gosplash 6 held at Liguanea Golf Club in New Kingston.
Joining her onstage at King’s House East Lawns will be Kevin Downswell, Chevelle Franklyn, Prince Saj and John-Mark Wiggan. With Emancipation Day being a public holiday, the event starts at 3 p.m. and patrons will be treated to a pre-show featuring DJ Rebirth and DJ Sticko who will be churning out gospel favourites on their turntables.
Gospel minister, Carey Sayles, who released his album project, His Goodness, last November, and singer-songwriter, Jessica Royes will perform prior to the start of the main event at 5 p.m.
Winans, who is coming to Jamaica straight from Trinidad, where she is scheduled to perform on July 31, is expected to thrill patrons for one hour, at least.
Title sponsor for the More Than This Concert is the RJR/GLEANER Communications Group, gold sponsors are Guardian Life, Love 101 FM, Caledonia Outdoor Advertising, Airport Authority of Jamaica, GraceKennedy and Hawkeye.
Representatives shared why they did not hesitate to align their brands with the More Than This concert and pledged their unwavering support.
John Mark Wiggan and Kevin Downswell gave a taste of what to expect from them come Emancipation Day at King’s Houseor the evening was Nadine Blair of Love 101 F.M. Tickets are now available islandwide.
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