THE Heineken Inspire competition ended April 28 at the Railway Station in downtown Kingston. Category winners Kimona Wickham, Kevoy Burton, Mystikal Revolution and Simone Neilson each came away with $250,000. The Jamaica Observer got up close and personal with them.

Kimona Wickham

Winner Art category

“When I got word of the competition, I found within me the boldness to take on a different realm of my artistic ability,” says the 21year-old communication and arts student at the University of Technology. She won with her first attempt at light painting.

Kevoy Burton/ College Access

Film

Burton spoke on behalf of his ‘College Access team’. He said the inspiration for their piece was a combination of their love for Heineken and creating videos.

“We saw this as an excellent opportunity to gain exposure for the work that we do as a group, not only for leisure but to also fund our charitable contribution to our country,” Buton said.

“Brainstorming the idea wasn’t an easy task and it took us a lot of sweat to become winners. We sat at our computers for days in order to get the Facebook ‘Likes’, he continued.

The 21-year-old, who hails from Spanish Town, St Catherine is a first- year mass communication student at Northern Caribbean University.

Mystikal Revolution

Winner Music category

Mystikal Revolution has been in existence for four years. The group won the 2008 Jamaica Cultural Development Corporation national band competition.

The members, who reside in Kingston and Portmore, St Catherine, consists of 24 year-old Obrian Williams, Sanjay Barrett, 22, and 30 year-old Paula Simpson.

Williams says their inspiration came from simply chilling on the ‘corners’.

“Our knowledge of the competition made it easy for us to begin writing and composing our winning entry piece,” he said.

As for life after the Heineken Inspire Competition, Williams said the trio are working on their debut album and hope to start the Mystical Revolution band.

Simone Neilson

Winner Fashion category

Neilson is back at the University of Technology where she is completing her final year in event management.

“My passion for fashion started in fourth form of high school. I have sewed not only clothes but bags as well. I have also been selling my products since last summer,” she said.

The 20-year-old said she was inspired to enter the competition to highlight her creativity.

“I believe the colours created a very beautiful palate which motivated me to show a different side of what Heineken can represent. It moves away from the tight, sexy, edgy look to more relaxed and sultry, hence the flowing beach energy portrayed in the piece, Heineken Beachy Dress,” she said.