For the first time since 1966, there will be no Festival or Popular Song Contest. Instead, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, producers of the event, launched a campaign for fans to vote online for their favourite song. Today, the Jamaica Observer publishes the fifth in a six-part series on past competitions.

ALTHOUGH singer Roy Rayon won the Festival or Popular Song Contest three previous times, he was still a hungry man when he entered in 2008.

“It was always my dream to win the competition with my own lyrics,” he told Splash.

That dream came true when he penned Rise and Shine, the winning song that year.

“In penning the lyrics I was thinking grand gala, festival celebrations, everyone having a wonderful time,” Rayon explained. “The Festival song is supposed to be the pulse of Independence.”

Rayon had previously won the annual contest with Love Fever (1985), Give Thanks And Praises (1987) and Come Rock in 1991.

A self-described product of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (organisers of Independence events), he won Best Performer in the Festival competition on five occasions.

Rayon says he knew there was something special in store for him in 2008.

“When I was called up for Best Performer I remember someone saying, ‘Let me hold these (other prizes) for you’. After that I got the feeling that something else was going to happen,” he recalled.

Even though he was a multiple winner, Rayon describes success with Rise and Shine as a “feel good moment.”

He does not rule out entering the competition again, but expressed the need for more professionals to be involved.

“Too many amateurs in the competition. You don’t have the strongest field of performers,” he said.