The Ministry of Tourism’s (MOT) ‘Da Bahamian Ting’ Song Competition attracted scores of talented singers, songwriters and musicians from throughout The Islands of The Bahamas.
On February 17, members of MOT’s Culture and Heritage Department counted 124 submissions.
The deadline for submissions was 5:00 p.m.
“The response was overwhelming,” said Director of Culture and Heritage Tourism, Arlene Nash-Ferguson. “We are so pleased that so many Bahamians are creating Rake N Scrape, Junkanoo and Goombay music with such passion. This proves that our creative community is still committed to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of The Bahamas.”
“What is even more encouraging is that artists were only allowed to submit one song. So these are 124 individuals creating music of a traditional Bahamian genre,” Nash-Ferguson added.
The esteemed judges now have their work cut out for them, having to narrow the talented field down to 20 semi-finalists. Those semi-finalists will be announced during a special Happy Hour event in Pompey Square on March 3 at 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
The panel of judges will choose the top 20 songs based on the following criteria:
- Songs must be in a Bahamian genre, Rake N Scrape, Goombay or Junkanoo, and around three minutes long.
After the 20 semi-finalists are announced, members of the public will choose the top 10 by voting online, via text messaging and by submitting their favourite online.
The winner will be announced on April 21.
The winner of ‘Da Bahamian Ting’ will receive $25,000 with second place taking $20,000, third place $15,000, fourth place $10,000 and fifth through 10th will receive $1,000 each.
The top 20 songs will receive much exposure and airtime, and will be used in Ministry of Tourism campaigns locally and globally.
The goal of the competition is to showcase talented Bahamian artists and musicians. It also aims to create a more vibrant music industry that fuels job creation, economic growth, tourism development and artistic growth, and strengthens the country’s brand.
