Festival Song winner to be announced today

Today is D-Day for the 10 finalists in this year's Festival Song Competition, with them vying for a cash prize of $3 million to be shared among the singer, songwriter and producer, as well as the Jamaica 60 trophy.

Tonight's performance at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston will close the curtains on an intense, month-long campaign.

For Intrestt, whose song is titled Rock to da Beat, the sweet taste of success is already on his lips.

"I'm not feeling bad at all. I have a winning feeling. We have been campaigning hard in my community of Caymanas Gardens in Portmore and the people are supportive. My babymother's community of Jungle, Kingston 12, and Benbow Street are with me 100 per cent as well. We put up posters all over with the voting number and also on social media so people in foreign are voting as well. And the King [Jammy] is the producer so yuh know seh that tek it to a different level," Intrestt told THE STAR.

Magic Flute, whose song shouts out that I'm A Proud Jamaican shared that he was excited to be going all the way to the finals in the year when Jamaica is celebrating its diamond jubilee.

"There are some good performers in this competition and I know that on Thursday I will have to give it my all and I am prepared," he said.

His plans for the prize money that he would receive as the performer include investing a portion in his career and putting aside the rest in a fixed account.

Veteran dancehall artiste Nitty Kutchie was not ready to declare winnings but admitted that his song is a strong contender. Titled Defend Jamaica, it has been endorsed by A-list artistes such as Bounty Killer and Buju Banton, who showed love on their social media accounts.

"Yuh done know seh Buju and Bounty are part of the music team and dem love the energy and the words of the song. It's all about defending Jamaica and bringing back the real Jamaica. I love the response from the people. But yuh know people will say a lot of things to yuh face. Only the results on the night will say if they mean what they said and voted for you," he said.

Dez I Boyd is confident "100 per cent and more", that Jamaica Sweet Again is the one.

"If I don't believe in myself, who will?" he asked. "I am doing what is possible in my corner and the results are encouraging. This is a competition but at the end of the day we are all doing it for Jamaica."

The other finalists are: Inspiyah ( Jamaica Nice Again); Sacaj ( Nuh Weh Nice Like Yard); Nazzle Man ( Out Of Many); One1 ( Sixty); Orkid ( Diamond Jubilee); and Rory Stamp ( Bring Back The Love).

The winning song will be decided by judges scores as well as public voting via text messaging in Jamaica and via the Reggae Jamaica App globally.