2026 Caribbean Music Awards Nominees: Lady Lava, Machel Montano, Ayetian & More

The Caribbean Music Awards are back!

Announced Wednesday afternoon (June 10), Trinidadian cross-genre powerhouse Lady Lava leads the nominations for the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards, with nine nods across seven categories. Fast-rising Jamaican dancehall star Ayetian, King of Soca Machel Montano and Grenadian soca sensation V’ghn follow with seven nominations each.

Last year’s big winner, Shenseea, adds six more nominations to her career total, thanks, in large part, to Moliy’s “Shake It to the Max.†A crossover hit that reached No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Shake It to the Max,†which also features Disco Neil, Silent Addy and Skillibeng, reigns as this year’s most-nominated song, with recognition in three separate categories. It’s a sweet moment of vindication for a track that was deemed ineligible to compete at February’s Grammy Awards — a decision that sent shockwaves through the global music industry and found gamma. CEO Larry Jackson deeming the decision as “devoid of any common sense.â€

The Caribbean Music Awards recognizes artists, producers and industry professionals who have significantly contributed to the Caribbean music landscape. This year’s nominations list includes more than 250 nominees across 40-plus categories spanning a diverse range of genres including reggae, soca, dancehall, calypso, R&B and gospel.

Building on its commitment to cultural expansion and genre inclusivity, this year’s ceremony introduces an expansive slate of new categories, including Dennery artist and song of the year, zess song of the year, konpa song of the year, chutney soca artist and song of the Year, jab artist and song of the year and French Caribbean song of the year.

While Skillibeng also collects six nominations this year, Masicka, Popcaan, Valiant, Vybz Kartel and Yung Bredda each earn five nods, highlighting their continued dominance across dancehall and soca. In addition, several acts earned four nominations each, including Full Blown, Jesse Royal, Joé Dwèt Filé, Kes, Lila Iké, Lola Doll, Mical Teja, Mikado and Voice. Keznamdi, who won the 2026 Grammy for best reggae album for his Blxxd & Fyah LP, picked up two nominations, as did Chronixx, whose Exile was crowned Billboard’s No. 1 Best Caribbean Album of 2025.

Other big names on this year’s nominees list include Tyla, Nicki Minaj, Bad Bunny, Shakira, Sting, Fridayy, Davido, Burna Boy and Busta Rhymes.

The Caribbean Music Awards are presented by the Caribbean Elite Group, which also produces Caribbean Elite Magazine â€“ a print and digital publication that highlights Caribbean entertainers, artists, producers, promoters, cuisine, travel, fashion and entrepreneurs.

Voting is currently underway at the Caribbean Music Awards website and will conclude on Monday, Aug. 10. Additional details about the event and date will be announced at a later date. Last year’s ceremony was held at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, featuring appearances and performances by Shenseea, Armanii, Busta Rhymes, Sizzla, Machel Montano, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man and more.

For the complete list of nominations, visit the Caribbean Music Awards website. Here are the nominees in selected categories:

People’s Choice

Alkaline

Dexta Daps

Kes

Lady Lava

Shenseea

Voice

Vybz Kartel

Yung Bredda

Reggae — Album of the Year

Keznamdi — Blxxd & Fyah

Chronixx — Exile

Glen Washington — Feeling Irie

Sanchez — Jamdown

Jesse Royal — No Place Like Home

Lila Iké — Treasure Self Love

Duane Stephenson — Weekend Dude

Reggae — Song of the Year

Protoje — “BIG 45â€

Anthony B — “Good Musicâ€

Aiesha — “Jamaica Strongâ€

Jesse Royal & Agent Sasco — “So Highâ€

Zion Marley — “The Doorâ€

Shaggy & Stign — “Til A Mawninâ€

Christopher Martin — “Wife and Sweetheartâ€

Reggae — Best New Artist

Cholita

Khalia

Nesta

Rani Rastaciti

Rik Jam

Yeza

Zagga

Dancehall — Album of the Year

Masicka — Her Name Is Love

Popcaan — Nothing Without God

450 — Pieces of Me

Valiant — Prove Them Wrong

Prince Swanny — Saint

Armanii — The Impact

Vybz Katel — Viking (Vybz Is King): 10th Year Anniversary

Ding Dong — From Ding Dong to World Ding

Dancehall — Collaboration of the Year

Ayetian & Govana — “Wah Yo Deh Ponâ€

Ayetian & Skillibeng — “Tip (Remix)â€

Ding Dong & Vanessa Bling — “Gloryâ€

Moliy, Shenseea & Skillibeng — “Shake It to the Max (Fly) [Remix]â€

Popcaan & Chronic Law — “Kick It Wid Myselfâ€

Skillibeng & Vybz Kartel — “New Gearâ€

Dancehall — Impact Award

Ayetian

D’yani

Kman 6ixx

Malie Donn

Nigy Boy

Raja Wild

Skippa

Stalk Ashley

Soca — Performer of the Year

Kes

Lady Lava

Machel Montano

Mr. Killa

Nadia Batson

Patrice Roberts

V’ghn

Voice

Soca — Video of the Year

Full Blown — “Good Spiritsâ€

Machel Montano — “Pardyâ€

Nadia Batson — “Piecesâ€

Patrice Roberts — “Rock Soâ€

Mical Teja — “Last Trainâ€

Mical Teja — “Homeâ€

Coutain x Tano — “Jamtownâ€

Soca — Best New Artist

Omaiah Hall

Coutain

Aaron Duncan

Kisha Kay

RAE

Imani Ray

Christo

Hunter

Konpa — Artist of the Year

Harmonik

Joé Dwèt Filé

Kai

T-Vice

Vayb

Rutshelle Guillaume

Bouyon — Song of the Year

1t1 ft. Theomaa — “Bouweyâ€

Shelly & Signal Band — “Bye to the Old Meâ€

Reo & Téhilah — “La Vie Douxâ€

Khallion — “Put That on Thatâ€

Miimii — “Se’ Miimiiâ€

Dirty Dawg Pudaz — “Shake Somethingâ€

Trilla-G — “Take Me as I Amâ€

BRG Hollywood (SXM) — “Time 2 Grindâ€

Dennery — Artist of the Year

Blackboy

Deejay ASAP

Dezral

Jardel

Mighty

Nerdy

Umpa

Zess — Song of the Year

Tempa — “All Ridersâ€

Lady Lava — “Bob the Builderâ€

Lola Doll — “Come Downstairsâ€

Lola Doll — “It Pinchingâ€

Lola Doll, Shawn Storm & Lady Lava — “Send It Upâ€

Sachie & Selecta Gas — “So D Badness Goâ€

Sachie — “Who Studying Youâ€

Jab — Song of the Year

Lil Kerry — “Bury Allâ€

Dirty Dog & Capital Jab — “Capital Anthemâ€

Tallpree & Smokie — “Do for Doâ€

Dred Lion — “Grease Itâ€

V’ghn & Terra D Governor — “Jab Decisionsâ€

Muddy — “Payrollâ€

Khalifah, MC Straker & Greg Boss — “Same Boatâ€

Chutney Soca — Artist of the Year

Drupatee

Ki and The Band

Rasika Dindial

Ravi B

Raymond Ramnarie

Tony Cuttz

Vanita Willie

Vicadi Singh

Caribbean Fusion — Artist of the Year

ChillBill

Freetown Collective

Jimmy October

Mickael Marabou

Monéa

Naïka

Skip Marley

Umpa

Latin Caribbean — Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

El Alfa

Jey One

Kruziano

La Pana

Prince Royce

Romeo Santos

Shakira

French Caribbean — Artist of the Year

Aya Nakamura

Bamby

Blaiz Fayah

Joé Dwèt Filé

Kalash

Maureen

Meryl

Mikado

Music Event of the Year

Nadia Batson — Artform

Michaël Brun — BAYO

Brunch & Soca

Patrice Roberts — I Am Woman

Barclays Center — Reggae Fest: The Return of Bounty Killer

Reggae Fest — Vybz Kartel at Barclays Center

Rise & Toast

Soca Brainwash

Stink & Dutty