From reggae legends like Sizzla and Buju Banton to revolutionary breakout stars like Woman Lava and dancehall upstarts equivalent to Armanii, the third annual Caribbean Music Awards actually weren’t missing in star energy and memorable performances. The Aug. 28 ceremony, which unfolded at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater forward of a BET telecast on Sept. 12, celebrated the most important artists and buzziest information throughout Caribbean music over the previous yr, with over 40 classes honoring genres like reggae, dancehall, soca, zess-steam, konpa, calypso, gospel and R&B.
Shenseea, who tied Masicka as this yr’s most-nominated artist (seven apiece), was the night time’s largest winner, with 5 victories, together with dancehall album, tune and collaboration of the yr. King of Dancehall Vybz Kartel, who kicked off 2025 with a revelatory Billboard cowl story, took residence three awards, together with male dancehall artist of the yr and music occasion of the yr for his seismic Kingston-conquering Freedom Avenue live performance final December. Woman Lava, whose “Ring Finger” earned an effusive co-sign from Cardi B, received the inaugural zess-steam artist of the yr award, and Yung Bredda and Armanii took residence this yr’s influence awards for soca and dancehall, respectively.
Exterior of the {hardware}, this yr’s ceremony additionally featured a slew of roof-raising performances from acts equivalent to Elephant Man, Full Blown, Woman Lava, Lila Iké, Romain Virgo and extra. Though Spice and Kes had been named performers of the yr for dancehall and soca, respectively, neither act graced the stage. Moreover, not one of the night time’s particular honorees (Busta Rhymes, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Kerwin Du Bois, Shirley Ann Cyril-Mayers, Austin “Tremendous Blue” Lyons and Carimi) carried out, save for an impromptu freestyle from Bounty close to the tip of his lifetime achievement award acceptance speech. All of their on-stage absences had been actually felt, however this yr’s Caribbean Music Awards featured a lineup that happy music lovers throughout generations and genres.
Right here’s Billboard’s rating of each efficiency on the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards.
Romain Virgo, “Soul Supplier” & “Fade Away”
For the “Voices of the Caribbean” section, Jamaican singer-songwriter and reggae fusion artist Romain Virgo graced the stage with strong renditions of “Soul Supplier” and “Fade Away,” two cuts from his 2015 Lifted LP.
Whereas his efficiency actually flaunted his vocal chops, Virgo made an attention-grabbing, if not complicated, option to ignore his most up-to-date album, 2024’s The Mild Man. That file earned Virgo three awards at this yr’s ceremony, together with reggae album of the yr, male reggae artist of the yr, and reggae tune of the yr for the Masicka-assisted “Been There Earlier than.” It’s at all times good to honor an album anniversary, however it might have been even sweeter to see The Mild Man get its second within the highlight.
Maureen, “Tic”
Maureen scored a significant international hit alongside Blaiz Faiyah and DJ Glad with the shatta-inflected “Cash Pull Up.” Contemplating we didn’t get “Hit & Run” (Shenseea, Masicka & Di Genius) or “Shake It to the Max” (Moliy, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Disco Neil and Silent Addy) performances — in spite of everything, these are in all probability the 2 largest international Caribbean hits of the previous yr, alongside “The Biggest Bend Over” — it might have been good to see “Cash Pull Up” get a shining second.
Regardless, Maureen completely rocked Kings Theater with a fiery rendition of 2020’s “Tic.” Full with high-octane choreography (together with the splits!) and electrical stage presence sourced from music’s best divas, the France-based Martinican artist pulled off one of many strongest solo performances of the night time. Maureen could have misplaced French-Caribbean artist of the yr to Joé Dwèt Filé, however she nonetheless left the ceremony a winner.
Lila Iké, “The place I’m Coming From”
Much like Virgo’s efficiency, Lila Iké’s a part of the “Voices of the Caribbean” section was a formidable show of her singing and efficiency prowess. As quickly as she stepped on stage, Iké immediately enchanted each ear in Kings Theater with hef smoky, earthy timbre.
It’s at all times a deal with to listen to “The place I’m Coming From,” one of the resonant hits from her 2020 ExPerience EP, however Iké had a slew of recent music she may have carried out. That night time, she took residence her third consecutive trophy for greatest feminine reggae artist, which coincided along with her further nominations for reggae tune of the yr (“Fry Plantain,” with Joey Bada$$) and reggae collaboration of the yr (“Bruises,” with Mortimer & Kabaka Pyramid). Furthermore, the Manchester Parish-bred star dropped her debut full-length album, Treasure Self Love, simply six days earlier than the ceremony (Aug. 22).
Virgo and Iké are two of up to date reggae’s brightest stars and strongest voices. Listening to them amplify their latest releases would have introduced the night time to a different degree.
Woman Lava, “Ring Finger”
Between “Ring Finger” and “Bob the Builder,” most of 2025 has belonged to fast-rising Trinbagonian zess star Woman Lava. With that in thoughts, it’s no shock the Cardi B-approved artist was tapped to shut out the ceremony.
Donning a vivid pink ball gown-esque quantity, Lava strutted out onstage to the tune of the buzzing “Ring Finger” intro, waving a wand as she turned Kings Theatre into her private zess-steam royal courtroom. Though her background dancers had been giving their all, they had been merely no match for Lava’s presence and charisma — or the infectious nature of her irresistible smash hit.
Elephant Man & Ding Dong, Opening Medley
Elephant Man and Ding Dong have dominated dancefloors world wide for twenty years with “Pon de River, Pon de Financial institution” and “Badman Ahead, Badman Pull Up,” respectively, so it solely is smart that the 2 dancehall icons joined forces to open the third annual Caribbean Music Awards.
Starting his efficiency within the Kings Theater foyer, Elephant Man, decked out in a glitzy navy blue sweatsuit, paraded into the principle theater to the tune of “Pon de River,” trailed by a procession of dancers that included Tanisha Scott, a three-time nominee for the MTV Video Music Award for greatest choreography. As Elephant Synthetic his technique to the principle stage, Ding Dong pulled as much as carry out “Badman Ahead,” the tune that sparked his musical breakthrough precisely 20 years in the past.
The 2 artists then carried out their “Dip Once more” collaboration earlier than buying and selling solo cuts forwards and backwards. Elephant Man delivered raucous renditions of “Nuh Linga” and “Sign de Aircraft,” whereas Ding Dong tore by “Ravers Gasoline” and “Happiness.” With unwavering power and a catalog-traversing medley, Elephant Man and Ding Dong completely set the tone for the remainder of the ceremony.
Full Blown, Machel Montano & Ayetian, Massive Hyperlinks Riddim Medley
Exterior of “Shake It to the Max,” no Caribbean tune dominated the globe like Yung Bredda’s “The Biggest Bend Over,” which seems on Full Blown’s wildly profitable “Massive Hyperlinks” riddim.
Though Yung Bredda, this yr’s soca influence award winner, was not in attendance, that didn’t cease the sibling manufacturing duo from delivering the night time’s greatest efficiency. Kicking issues off with their very own “Good Spirits,” Full Blown turned Kings Theater right into a yard household gathering, full with folding tables, plastic cups and all. Conserving issues centered on the “Massive Hyperlinks” riddim, the duo then introduced out Machel Montano for a shock efficiency of “The Reality,” which gave technique to one other shock — this time, one from Machel himself.
In a sensible riff on the lyrics and title of “The Reality,” the present King of Soca stunned the Caribbean Music Awards with Ayetian, one of many hottest new names in dancehall. Collectively, the pair carried out their hit “Reality and Steadiness,” bridging a number of generations of soca and dancehall stars, earlier than closing issues out with a theater-wide sing-along of “The Biggest Bend Over.” Positive, shock performers are a low-key cheat code, however that solely works when these performers ship a set that instantly lives as much as that hype — and that’s precisely what Full Blown achieved alongside Machel and Ayetian on the Aug. 28 ceremony.
