Beyond the Red Carpet: Stories of Music, Roots and Connections

Advertisement

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – For the first time in the show’s four year history, the Caribbean Music Awards left New York and came home to the region.

Under Trinidad and Tobago’s midnight blue sky, artists, DJ’s and media personalities graced the red carpet, bringing with them style, pride and stories rooted in the Caribbean.

For many, the region is more than a place of origin, it is where their journeys began.

For Grenadian artist V’ghn, earlier in his career, even though he traveled to Trinidad and Tobago with little, he had ambition and a dream.

He shared that his mentor, the late Dexter “Blax” Stewart, would sometimes give him the shoes off his own feet.

Years later, V’ghn returned to Trinidad for the Caribbean Music Awards, and walked away with two titles – Jab Artist of the Year and Jab Song of the Year.

Before his wins, he told me his return was a full circle moment.

V’ghn – Jab Artist of The Year, CMA ’26

“Trinidad is dear to me I love Trinidad, and to be here and to be apart of it is amazing. I love this moment.”

For Alison Hinds, the red carpet held a more personal meaning.

Born in England to Barbadian parents, Hinds moved to Barbados as a child, where her passion for Soca music took root.

Now known as the ‘Queen of Soca’, she arrived wearing her mother’s sapphire necklace. 

Alison Hinds – Presenter, CMA ’26

“This is actually my mums necklace. My mum has Alzheimer’s and she has Parkinson’s, so she’s not as present now. So this has a special significance to me and that’s why I wanted to wear it tonight.”

Then there’s Sherwin Gardner, a native of Trinidad and Tobago who found love and community in The Bahamas.

On the red carpet, Gardner spoke about the importance of Bahamian artists using international platforms to build connections and gain visibility.

He says that means stepping outside your comfort zone and taking your talent to a wider audience.

Sherwin Gardner – Presenter, CMA ’26

“The quality of the stuff in The Bahamas is really good but there’s no visibility, and without visibility it’s just like the Bible say go ye therefore and preach to all nations, you have to move, you have to go.”