Minister Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has praised the six nominees in the Best Reggae Album Category for the 2022 Grammy Awards.

The nominees were announced yesterday (November 23).

They are dancehall artiste, Spice for her album 10; Sean Paul for Live N Livin; songstress Etana for Pajoma; Jesse Royal for Royal, Gramps Morgan for Positive Vibration and American band Soja, for Beauty in the Silence.

“This is the first time, in the 36 years of the Awards, that two women have been nominated in the category, and as minister with responsibility for both the gender and entertainment portfolios, I am very happy to see this development,” Grange stated.

“It may also surprise many people to learn that, prior to this year, only five women Etana, Koffee, Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Sister Carol have been nominated in the category.”

The 2022 list of preliminary nominees had previously included the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Festival Song compilation which had been placed on the ‘Considered’ List.

Remarking on this achievement, Grange said it was “in recognition of the quality of work created by all the artistes, producers, singers and musicians involved in the Festival Song compilation”.

She added: “Happening in the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, I insisted that the Festival Song compilation be submitted for Grammy consideration. We need to continue to lift and support the Entertainment industry which has been so negatively affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

The final round of voting will take place between December 6, 2021 and January 5, 2022, with the Grammy Awards ceremony return live to the Staples Centre in Los Angeles in the United States on January 31, 2022.