WINNER of the 2021 Jamaica Festival Song Competition, Stacious, is nothing short of excited that the album featuring a compilation of this year’s finalists has been submitted for consideration for the Best Reggae Album at the Grammy Awards.

“I’m part of history again,” she quipped during her interview with the Jamaica Observer.

“The truth is I’m just really excited. This is the first time in history that the compilation has been submitted for consideration and this is a really big, bold move,” she continued.

For Stacious, the big plus for this album of entries is the variety of music it contains, something she feels will give it an edge to make it into the final cut to vie for the coveted Golden Gramophone trophy.

“There is such a variety of music on this album. It gives such a great feel and sound, and kinda makes you travel through Jamaica’s musical history from mento straight through to dancehall and the thing in between. This is unlike other years when all the entries were pretty much similar sounds… so this is a good feel. As with anything I do, I’m always optimistic. So as to whether this (album) will make it past this round, I am hopeful and expect to walk away with the trophy. I already feel like a winner having made it this far,” she said.

Stacious won the competition with her entry Jamaican Spirit in July. In addition to Stacious’s winning entry, the 12-track album features songs by DB, Tamo J, Kimiela “Candy” Isaacs, Peso, Althea Hewitt, Father Reece, Lutan Fyah, I-Octane, Dez-I Boyd, Reggae Maxx, and Fab 5.

The impact of the pandemic was felt during the Jamaica Festival Song Competition as the usual set of live performances across the island had to be scrapped due to the ban on mass gatherings. COVID-19 and its accompany protocols have also prevented Stacious from performing since her win, but she noted that she is undaunted and taking this in stride.

“I have a new single out, a collaboration with Queen Nikki called Dem Evil which is looking at the issue of crime and violence in our society. I have also upgraded my juice bar to a restaurant, Cafe Scrumptious. So I’m just going ahead with what I need to do,” she said.

She is, however, very encouraging to other acts who would like to give the Jamaica Festival Song Competition a try.

“I’d really just say go ahead. If you are creative and have something to say, by all means. I don’t know yet if I’d do it again. I haven’t given that any thought. But I never say never. Years ago I would never think I would have entered and been a winner and here I am. So anything is possible,” Stacious added.