Caribbean Music Awards 2026 Winners: Full List, Results & Biggest Moments
Updated: 2 days ago
The 2026 Caribbean Music Awards winners reflected the full range of the region's sound, with Lady Lava, Shenseea, Kes, Lila Iké, Buju Banton, Valiant, Chronixx, Joé Dwèt Filé and V'ghn among the artists taking home honors. The fourth annual ceremony was held September 19 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain, marking the first time the Caribbean Music Awards were staged in the Caribbean.
By Dante Jackson, Entertainment Editor
Caribbean Music Awards 2026 Winners: The Biggest Results
Lady Lava emerged as one of the night's biggest winners, taking Female Soca Artist of the Year, Zess Artist of the Year and Zess Song of the Year for “Bob the Builder,” while sharing Chutney Soca Song of the Year with Ravi B for “Cyah Pick.” Shenseea led the dancehall field with Female Dancehall Artist of the Year and shared wins for Dancehall Song and Collaboration of the Year through “Shake It to the Max (FLY) [Remix].”
Reggae also delivered a strong Jamaican showing: Lila Iké won Female Reggae Artist of the Year and shared Reggae Collaboration of the Year with Masicka for “Romantic”; Buju Banton was named Male Reggae Artist of the Year; Chronixx's Exile won Reggae Album of the Year; and Protoje's “BIG 45” took Reggae Song of the Year.
Full 2026 Caribbean Music Awards Winners List
Bouyon
Bouyon Artist of the Year — Mr. Ridge
Bouyon Song of the Year — “Bouwéy” — 1T1 & Theomaa
Caribbean Fusion
Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year — Freetown Collective
Chutney Soca
Chutney Soca Artist of the Year — Ravi B
Chutney Soca Song of the Year — “Cyah Pick” — Lady Lava & Ravi B
Dancehall
Female Dancehall Artist of the Year — Shenseea
Male Dancehall Artist of the Year — Valiant
Dancehall Album of the Year — Saint — Prince Swanny
Dancehall Best New Artist — Ayetian
Dancehall Collaboration of the Year — “Shake It to the Max (FLY) [Remix]” — MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea
Dancehall Impact Award — Ayetian
Dancehall Performer of the Year — Ding Dong
Dancehall Song of the Year — “Shake It to the Max (FLY) [Remix]” — MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea
Dancehall Video of the Year — “Rich Sex” — Masicka
Dennery
Dennery Artist of the Year — Umpa
Dennery Song of the Year — “Dansa” — Klassik Frescobar
French Caribbean
French Caribbean Artist of the Year — Joé Dwèt Filé
French Caribbean Song of the Year — “Ouba” — 1T1 & Theomaa
International DJ
Female International DJ of the Year — DJ Ana
Male International DJ of the Year — Ricky Platinum
Jab
Jab Artist of the Year — V'ghn
Jab Song of the Year — “Jab Decisions” — V'ghn & Terra D Governor
Konpa
Konpa Artist of the Year — Joé Dwèt Filé
Konpa Song of the Year — “4 Kampé” — Joé Dwèt Filé
Latin Caribbean
Latin Caribbean Artist of the Year — Bad Bunny
Reggae
Female Reggae Artist of the Year — Lila Iké
Male Reggae Artist of the Year — Buju Banton
Reggae Album of the Year — Exile — Chronixx
Reggae Best New Artist — Cholita
Reggae Collaboration of the Year — “Romantic” — Lila Iké feat. Masicka
Reggae Impact Award — Keznamdi
Reggae Song of the Year — “BIG 45” — Protoje
Soca
Female Soca Artist of the Year — Lady Lava
Male Soca Artist of the Year — Kes
Soca Best New Artist — Coutain
Soca Collaboration of the Year — “Eskimo” — Trinidad Killa & Nicki Minaj
Soca Impact Award — Full Blown
Soca Performer of the Year — Kes
Soca Song of the Year — “The Greatest Bend Over” — Yung Bredda & Full Blown
Soca Video of the Year — “Good Spirits” — Full Blown
Zess
Zess Artist of the Year — Lady Lava
Zess Song of the Year — “Bob the Builder” — Lady Lava
Music and Events
Music Cruise of the Year — UberSoca Cruise
Music Event of the Year — Reggae Fest: “Freedom Street” — CJ Milan
Music Festival of the Year — Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival
Special Honors
Global Ambassador Honor — Shyne
Elite Konpa Honor — Alan Cavé
Elite Calypso Honor — Calypso Rose
Lifetime Achievement Award — Patra
Shenseea Leads the Dancehall Winners
Shenseea's three credited dancehall victories made her one of the strongest Jamaican performers of the night. She won Female Dancehall Artist of the Year, while the “Shake It to the Max (FLY) [Remix]” with MOLIY, Silent Addy and Skillibeng won both Dancehall Song of the Year and Dancehall Collaboration of the Year. Valiant took Male Dancehall Artist of the Year, Ding Dong won Performer of the Year, and Ayetian collected Best New Artist and the Dancehall Impact Award.
Lady Lava and Kes Lead Soca's Homecoming
With the ceremony taking place in Trinidad and Tobago for the first time, the soca results carried special significance. Lady Lava won Female Soca Artist of the Year while Kes captured Male Soca Artist of the Year and Soca Performer of the Year. Yung Bredda and Full Blown won Soca Song of the Year for “The Greatest Bend Over,” and Coutain was named Soca Best New Artist.
Lila Iké, Buju Banton and Chronixx Among Reggae Winners
Lila Iké led reggae with Female Reggae Artist of the Year and a collaboration win with Masicka for “Romantic.” Buju Banton earned Male Reggae Artist of the Year, Chronixx's Exile took Reggae Album of the Year, Protoje's “BIG 45” won Reggae Song of the Year, Cholita was named Best New Artist, and Keznamdi received the Reggae Impact Award.
A Historic First Caribbean Staging
The 2026 ceremony represented a major shift for the Caribbean Music Awards. After three editions in Brooklyn, New York, the fourth annual event moved to NAPA in Port of Spain, placing the awards inside the region whose music and culture it celebrates. Majah Hype and Nailah Blackman hosted the main ceremony, with performances spanning multiple Caribbean genres.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won at the Caribbean Music Awards 2026?
Major winners included Lady Lava, Shenseea, Kes, Lila Iké, Buju Banton, Valiant, Chronixx, Joé Dwèt Filé, V'ghn, Ayetian and many others across more than 40 Caribbean music categories.
Who won Female Dancehall Artist of the Year in 2026?
Shenseea won Female Dancehall Artist of the Year at the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards.
Who won Male Dancehall Artist of the Year?
Valiant won Male Dancehall Artist of the Year.
Who won the 2026 reggae artist awards?
Lila Iké won Female Reggae Artist of the Year and Buju Banton won Male Reggae Artist of the Year.
Who won the 2026 soca artist awards?
Lady Lava won Female Soca Artist of the Year, while Kes won Male Soca Artist of the Year.
Where were the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards held?
The ceremony was held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on September 19, 2026. It was the first Caribbean staging of the awards.
Caribbean Music Celebrated at Home
The 2026 Caribbean Music Awards did more than produce a long winners list. By bringing dancehall, reggae, soca, bouyon, jab, Dennery, konpa, zess and other regional sounds together in Port of Spain, the ceremony presented Caribbean music as a broad, interconnected industry with its own stars, traditions and emerging movements.
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