With two of the five entertainers announced in this year’s crop of nominees for the Reggae Grammy being dancehall artistes, at least one industry insider believes a win for either contender could go a far way in cementing dancehall’s global dominance.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Donna Hope, a professor of culture, gender and society on the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies, said Shenseea and Vybz Kartel’s inclusion on the list of nominees may have come as a surprise to many, but indicated that both artistes have done the groundwork necessary to not only make an impact locally but internationally as well.

“Ultimately, the albums that get nominated have very little to do with whether the album is an excellent album, all the albums submitted yearly are excellent productions. Shenseea has positioned herself as a strong contender because of who she’s aligned with. That machinery behind her is very powerful and very recognisable. She has been getting extensive push internationally,” she said.

“But, separate and apart from that, she has also been deliberate about the music she’s releasing. She’s still trending on dancehall but she’s doing it in a more refined way. She has come into her own a lot and has been marketed a certain way that people voting who are not Jamaicans will know her. She has been able to find herself into a lot of the spaces with persons the Grammys know as well.”

Outlining that people love a story of triumph and resilience, Hope said Kartel’s journey to freedom became a global spectacle. So much so, that when he emerged from behind prison walls, back in July, the world tuned in to witness his emancipation.

“I keep telling people, you may not like him, but Kartel is a household name. He also has a lot of people who are in positions of power who recognise the kind of work that he has done. Kartel winning will come down to how people feel about his persona right now, but people love a story of triumph. On July 31, when Kartel was emancipated, I don’t think people understand the kind of global resonance that moment in music history had,” she shared.

“I think that if Kartel plays his cards right going up to the final decision he is going to be a strong contender. And, if Kartel, who is hard-core dancehall, wins that Grammy, the resonance will be major. It will not only be a story of triumph, renewal and return, but it will cement dancehall’s place as a genre that is globally impactful,” she continued.

Outside of the two dancehall acts on the nomination bill, Hope said it will be interesting to see who will walk away with the award come February. She shared that this year’s list of nominees is the best she’s seen in recent times and should be a fight to the finish among the voting membership.

“I know people always say once a Marley is in it, then the award is already won, but I don’t think it will be that easy this time around. We also have The Wailers, who are also well-known globally, and we have Collie Budz who has been nominated before and is known among voting members,” she said.