06/08/2026
After three years in Brooklyn, the Caribbean Music Awards are heading to the West Indies.
By Kyle Denis
On Wednesday (July 28), Caribbean Elite Group, which presents the awards, announced that the fourth annual ceremony will take place Sept. 18-20 in Trinidad & Tobago. The buzzy move follows a stellar three-year run at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, where the Caribbean Music Awards united artists, key industry players and fans in one of the world’s most robust diaspora cities.
Co-hosted by Trinidadian soca star Nailah Blackman and “King of Caribbean Comedy” Majah Hype (in his fourth consecutive year), the awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain.
In addition to the new location, this year’s Caribbean Music Awards expands the single-night celebration into a sprawling Caribbean Music Awards Elite Weekend Experience. The weekend will feature immersive events across music and culture, the awards ceremony and official afterparty, and a special steelpan showcase presented by Stars and Steel.
“Four years hosting the Caribbean Music Awards? Mi feel like dem haffi give me my own seat at this point!” said Majah Hype. “But seriously, being part of this journey from day one has been a blessing. I’ve watched this celebration grow, seen the incredible talent come through, and witnessed how much this moment means to our people. To see it expand from Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre to Trinidad & Tobago is something special. Caribbean culture is powerful, the talent is endless, and mi ready fi celebrate everybody who continues to carry our music and our culture to the world.”
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Moving to Trinidad also underscores the incredible year Trini artists have been having across genres. T&T’s own Lady Lava, Billboard’s Up-And-Coming Caribbean Artist of the Month for June 2026, leads this year’s nominations tally with nine nods across seven categories. King of Soca Machel Montano, Grenadian soca sensation V’ghn and Jamaican dancehall star Ayetian — Billboard’s Up-And-Coming Caribbean Artist of the Month for July 2026 — follow with seven nominations each. Other notable names on this year’s nominees list include Vybz Kartel, Tyla, Nicki Minaj, Bad Bunny, Shakira, Sting, Fridayy, Davido and Burna Boy.
“The Caribbean Music Awards has been a special part of my journey,” said Nailah Blackman, whose grandfather Lord Shorty (born Garfield Blackman) is credited with inventing soca music. “I’ve experienced this celebration as a fan, as a performer, as a nominee, and as a winner, and now being able to step into the role of host is truly an honor. To do it in Trinidad, surrounded by our people and our culture, makes this moment even more meaningful. I’m excited to celebrate the incredible artists who continue to push Caribbean music forward.”
This year’s Caribbean Music Awards honors over 250 nominees across 40-plus categories spanning a diverse range of genres including reggae, soca, dancehall, calypso, R&B and gospel. Several new categories were introduced for the 2026 ceremony to accommodate the varied Caribbean music scene, 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.
The Caribbean Music Awards are presented by the Caribbean Elite Group, which also produces Caribbean Elite Magazine – 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. For the complete list of nominations, visit the Caribbean Music Awards website.
