On Saturday night when the winner in the Reggae Recording of the Year category of the JUNO Awards (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy) was announced, winner Exco Levi was nowhere in sight.

The singjay, who resides in Canada and who is originally from Manchester, did not attend the event, which took place at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

Exco Levi won for the album Born to Be Free, which was produced by Penthouse Records and released in March last year.

The other nominees in the category are Fallback by King Cruff and Runkus, Destiny by Lee Scratch Perry and Bob Riddim, Sky’s the Limit by Skystar, and Rise by Tonya P.

This is Exco Levi’s 12th nomination and sixth win.

“I didn’t expect to win because it’s been a while since I’ve won. There were a lot of great songs nominated this year,” Exco Levi told the Jamaica Observer on Saturday night.

The artiste, whose real name is Wayne Ford Levy, says he yearns for recognition in the land of his birth.

“I thought the album didn’t get enough justice or traction and then… For it to win the JUNO it means a lot to me. The lack of airplay and support, I mean Canada was OK, and in Europe the support wasn’t bad, but in my birth land, I think it’s time Jamaica should finally recognise the great work that I have been doing abroad and representing for the genre,” Exco Levi reasoned.

Born to Be Free has 15 tracks including collaborations with Duane Stephenson and Charly Black.

“Most of the songs were recorded in Canada with my band and then I brought it to Penthouse Records to finish up and finalise. So most of these songs were produced by my team here in Canada,” said Exco Levi.

The artiste placed third in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Festival Song competition in 2023 with his song Feels Like Home.