KINGSTON — Women account for just 12.6 per cent of the 119 albums submitted for consideration in the Best Reggae Album category at the 2027 Grammy Awards.
Of the 119 projects listed, 15 feature 16 identifiable female artists, including established performers Queen Ifrica, Sharon Marley and Dezarie, alongside newer-generation acts such as Naomi Cowan, Kelissa, Aza Lineage and Xana Romeo.
Queen Ifrica’s Breath of Life, Sharon Marley’s Firebird and Dezarie’s 7th Heaven represent the roots-oriented tradition, while Naomi Cowan’s collaborative project Welcome to Paradise, Kelissa’s The Good Side of Things and Xana Romeo’s The Divine Blueprint demonstrate the breadth of women’s contributions to contemporary reggae.
Grammy nominee Sister Carol and Nakeeba Maniyea appear together on Beyond the Sky.
Other submissions include Aza Lineage’s Rebel Daawta, Leba Hibbert’s Leba Abel, Hirie’s Phases, Harmonique’s How Yuh Know Mi, Mad Elaine’s From My Heart to Your Heart, Tashat’s One World (Chapter 1), Cholita’s Broken Promises and Tina, also known as Hoodcelebrityy, with her self-titled project.
