7 Competitors Gearing up for National Song Competition

The countdown for the 2024 National Song Competition has begun and with that comes an announcement of the seven finalists who will be facing off on stage with an original song. The competition is held to celebrate Belize, but all participants are open to submit a song about any theme or topic. Competitors are also able to choose from a variety of genres and this year’s show will feature songs with soca, punta rock, traditional and contemporary brukdown sounds. We spoke with Kim Vasquez, Director of the Institute of Arts for the long-awaited reveal of the finalists. 

 

Kim Vasquez, Director, I.C.A.

“In no particular order, the finalists for the 2024 National Song Competition, Wilson Grinage: Until Forever, Jackie Castillo: Song for Belize, Shadow: In Your Blood, Echo: Remember Them Days, Allan Castillo: We Need Love, Lenox Awardo: Gimme All Belize, and Hubee: Explore Belize.”

 

Reporter

“So what happens now?”

 

Kim Vasquez

“So now we the competition is judged in two parts. The adjudicators, they look at the song and they’re looking for again, it’s a very technical competition. They’re looking for things like originality, production, arrangement, the originality of the lyrics, the meaningfulness behind the lyrics and that is judged in the first part of the competition. And then on the sixteenth of August, we come here live at the bliss center at eight p.m. for the performance segment now of the competition and again, very different, very unique format. When they come on stage here, they get an opportunity to warm up. They’re going to perform a song of their choice. It can be something that one of their previous hits, or it can be any cover of any song that is to just warm them up and introduce them to the audience. And then they will come with their song into the song competition.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And you said there’s a very good reason to come out and support this competition.”

 

Kim Vasquez

“There is again, what we’re trying to do is this is a way for us to, yes, have new music come out to support artists, to encourage them to improve their craft, but it’s also has to do with now where emancipation day has just taken place. And now we’re going full speed ahead into the September celebrations. And we were working hard this year to bring the competition in the month of August. So that all the songs could be out and they could be played and shared. And this is what we want the public to do, support them.”