KINGSTON, Jamaica — After surviving two motor vehicle crashes earlier this year, Festival Song finalist Bovia is hoping her entry, Jamaica pon di App, will signal a change in fortunes when she competes in Saturday’s final of the 2026 Festival Song Competition.

Jamaica pon di App, co-produced by Fitzroy “Dave Prime Time” Green and Courick Clarke, is one of 10 finalists in the 60th staging of the annual competition. Bovia said she was overwhelmed when she learnt in June that her song had made the final cut.

“I was overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement. It was a very emotional moment because I know the hard work, sacrifices, and determination that went into this journey,” she told the Observer Online. “After coming out of one minor crash in January and a major car crash in February, I never dreamed of entering the competition at all. Being selected as a finalist is an honour, and I’m grateful to God, my family, friends, co-workers, supporters, and everyone who believed in me.”

Bovia, whose real name is Beverley Henry, is from St Catherine and has spent more than 25 years as a music teacher. She has also worked as a harmony singer on projects produced by Ibo Cooper of Third World.

Jamaica pon di App is among the latest songs recorded by Green and Clarke at JaMin Studio in Trench Town. Bovia said the song, which features a mento rhythm, was inspired by Jamaican culture and current affairs.

“The song was written through inspiration. Looking at the soursop tree and seeing how fragile it looked, it seemed like there was no hope for our produce in Jamaica after all the ravaging that Hurricane Melissa had done. The innate tune, ‘mi nice clean country Jamaica pon di App echoed its melody in my ears’,” she recalled. “While the idea came naturally because of my love and care towards my country Jamaica, It was God Almighty who downloaded the lyrics to reflect the beauty, culture, resilience, and spirit of our island.”

The Festival Song Competition final will be held on Saturday at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston.

The other finalists are: Aba Jones (Teet A fi Me), Elton Earlington (Proud A Jamaica), dBURNZ (I Love Jamaica), Ovando Levy (Jamaica School Bingi Ling), Trisstar (I Am Jamaican), Renegad (I’m From Jamaica), Brother C (Jamaica Woie), Christina Evans (Jamaica A fiwi Island) and Song Bird (My Jamaica, Land of Festivals).