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More than ten artistes from Trinidad and Tobago have been placed under consideration in multiple categories for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, set to take place next year in Los Angeles, United States.
Among those recognized are Etienne Charles, Kes the Band, MX Prime, RKG, Yung Bredda, and Full Blown, all of whom represent the growing global influence of T&T’s diverse music scene.
Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin extended congratulations to the contenders, highlighting Kes the Band, Sherwin Gardner, Yung Bredda, and Full Blown in a social media post.
“This achievement stands as a proud testament to the power of our culture and the resilience that defines Trinidad and Tobago’s artistic spirit,” Benjamin said. “As our music continues to reach audiences across the globe, we salute the artistes who carry our nation’s heartbeat to the world stage.”
Martin “Mice” Raymond, veteran producer, sound engineer, and associate professor at UTT’s Academy for the Performing Arts, explained that the process involves an initial review by approximately 350 experts across various music fields. The approved submissions are then listed on the first-round ballot, where about 13,000 voting members—comprising producers, engineers, songwriters, and artistes—select the nominees for each category.
First-round voting, which began on October 3 and runs until October 15, will determine the official Grammy nominees. Final-round voting will then decide the winners announced on Grammy night.
Raymond described the Grammys as “the industry’s benchmark for global recognition,” though he acknowledged that the award show is sometimes criticized for not always aligning with popular taste.
“The Grammys often get criticized for being out of step with public opinion, as some things that are popular don’t always win and vice versa,” he noted. “That’s because it’s a peer-voting process, not one swayed by popularity.”
He encouraged more local artistes to submit their work, emphasizing that many T&T submissions have already received strong international feedback.
“In Trinidad, we produce more genres of music than probably any other Caribbean country,” Raymond said. “It would be great to see even more diversity represented internationally.”
Since Harvey Mason Jr. assumed leadership of the Recording Academy in 2021, there has been a major effort to expand and diversify the voting base and award categories. Recent additions include the Global and African music categories, reflecting the rising influence of afrobeats and other non-Western genres.
“The Global category was added to accommodate genres like soca and dancehall,” Raymond explained. “There’s also been a shift toward recognizing singles, not just albums.”
Nigel Campbell, a music business professional dedicated to expanding Caribbean music’s international reach, urged local artistes to “aim for the top” and continue submitting their work.
“Our artistes are more than just local performers—they’re becoming international ambassadors of our sound,” Campbell said. “The Grammys represent the pinnacle of musical excellence, particularly in the North American market.”
He acknowledged the growing number of T&T artistes reaching the first-round ballot this year, calling it a positive step toward greater global visibility. Campbell also noted the importance of regional representation in the peer-voting process, encouraging more Caribbean professionals to become Recording Academy members.
“For example, if there are only 50 Caribbean voting members and 500 African members, the odds naturally favor African artistes,” he said.
Historically, Trinidad and Tobago has produced Grammy-recognized talent, including Billy Ocean, who won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1985 for Caribbean Queen, and Heather Headley, who won Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album in 2010 for Audience of One. The steelband Esso Tripoli was nominated in 1971, and Trinidad-born Nicki Minaj has earned multiple nominations.
Campbell believes the quality of local production has improved significantly over the past decade, but he encourages continued focus on strong songwriting and performance.
“The talent is there,” he said. “Now it’s about ensuring our artistes are recognized among the best in their categories.”
Trinidad and Tobago Artistes Under Grammy Consideration:
- Kes the Band – Best Global Music Performance for Cocoa Tea
- Yung Bredda & Full Blown – Best Global Music Performance for The Greatest Bend Over
- John Francis (John Skweird) – Best Progressive R&B Album for The Soundscapes of Dreams and Nightmares
- Sherwin Gardner – Best Global Music Performance for Over Me and Best Reggae Album for Find Me Here EP
- MX Prime – Best Global Music Album for Kick Off
- Etienne Charles – Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Jazz Performance, Best Instrumental Composition for Gullah Roots, and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for Kumbaya
- RKG – Best Global Music Performance for Hard Life
- Touchdown ft. Natalie Yorke – Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for Prayer for Peace, also under consideration for the Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award
- Gail Ann Stevens (Precious Gail) – Best African Music Performance for Adored
- Empress Aje & Queen Omega – Best Global Music Album for participation on The World Album
- Jimmy October – Best Global Music Album for From October with Love
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