One-day musical experience on January 4, 2025, at Manchester High School

Durrant Pate/Contributor

In a bid to foster greater unity in the Jamaican gospel music industry and forge a new path towards a sector grounded in service and commitment to the nation, local gospel music icons, Papa San and Chevelle Franklyn have teamed up with Olamay Events to execute RESET Project 2025. 

Kicking off this initiative is the rollout of a one-day musical experience at the Manchester High School on Saturday, January 4, 2025, under the theme ‘Honouring the past, embracing the present, reshaping the future’. RESET Project 2025 will be a night of ministry, fun, upliftment and empowerment. 

It is the ultimate experience for people to give their lives to the Lord and start the new year on a new path.

It is a night to see souls saved. Launched on November 28, one of the hallmarks of RESET Project 2025 is to provide wholesome family entertainment. 

Longer term mission

The long-term mission of the initiative is to reposition the hearts and minds of those in the music industry, establish a structure of support for industry players and ultimately drive national transformation. The brainchild of Olamay Events chief executive officer, Annoleah Wynter, RESET Project 2025 is a powerful call to action. 

The long-term plans for the RESET Project also include staging an event to drive faith-based tourism in keeping with the goals of the Jamaica Tourist Board, which is among this year’s sponsors.

Wynter and the RESET Project partners are also keen on engaging church leaders to work together to rebuild event spaces for the gospel music industry.

According to Wynter, “Once it was clear what was needed to be done, I reached out to Papa San, Chevelle and Lt. Stitchie, who was still on his feet at the time. Despite the health challenges Stitchie has faced since our agreement to collaborate, he remains a partner on this project because it’s something he believes in. We are clear on the fact that we have to support him at this time.” Beyond providing support for Lt. Stitchie, the RESET music experience will honour other local stalwarts in the gospel industry. 

Those selected for recognition this year include former lead vocalist of The Grace Thrillers Shirley Willis; prophet and evangelist, Dr Lester Lewis; and gospel music ambassador Sandra Brooks. “It’s also about recognizing the elders in gospel, who came before us. We have to get to the point when we can give back to this community and allow their music to live on.

The show will take us through the gospel music journey so young people can see where the music is coming from,” explained Papa San, who is set to perform new music as well as old favourites.

Spectacular show being planned 

In addition to performances by Papa San, Chevelle Franklyn and a taste of the honourees who still strut their stuff, patrons attending RESET 2025 will be treated to a pre-show featuring opening acts, including two of the winningest schools from the All Together Sing competition, namely Manchester High and Old Harbour High Schools. A key feature of the RESET 2025 main show experience is the fact that it will have one live band.

Patrons won’t have to endure band changes or the constant chatter of an MC. It will be a rich, wholesome experience with a unique display of technology-driven and narrated voice-overs to connect the various performances. Ticket outlets for the January 4 RESET experience are listed on the RESET social media pages @ResetTheNation on Instagram and Facebook. Online purchases can be done via www.spuropen.com/resetthenation

Giving back to society 

Within the next year, RESET Project 2025 expects to establish a foundation through which it can support industry veterans, who have worked tirelessly as ambassadors of the faith as well as provide benevolent and medical support to those who need it. The team has identified the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf as an organization we will support. 

RESET Project 2025 has committed to raise J$3 million to the Centre,” Wynter added. The donation to the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD) will go towards building a water catchment and supply system at the Manchester-based Knockpatrick campus of the CCCD, which houses 107 children, teens and young adults between the ages of four and twenty-one.