Kingston, 31 July 2023 (JCDC) - 'Best in the World', written and performed by Slashe is the 2023 Jamaica Festival Song. The announcement was made on Saturday, July 29, 2023 during the results show featuring the 11 finalists.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, who presented the winning trophy and cheque for three million dollars to Slashe, said she was satisfied to see the renewed interest in the Competition.

“This staging was excellent. Every year it gets better and better and post covid, I think we are back on track. All the Finalists were very good, the songs were rich, the diversity of the selections was really, really satisfying, from Mento, to Reggae, to songs with a fusion of Ska and Dancehall. The performers did well and it was a mix of established names and up and coming talent. As a result of their involvement in this year’s Festival Song Competition, they will all become known and I think they all have a great future in store.”

Slashe is the actor and comedian previously known as Iceman. He was elated. “This feels humbling. I know I put in the work, my friends voted for me with discipline every morning and every night and I voted as well. Mr. Donovan Germain granted me the opportunity to put this song together with a very talented set of musicians… I give thanks for the overall results. I want to thank the background singers who came on board and gave of themselves in a selfless way… I am grateful to them. These are wonderful singers who are internationally recognised, renowned and they found time in their busy schedule to link with Slash and do this for me so I am grateful to them as well.” 


The five-time Juno Award winner, Exco Levi, with Feel like Home, placed second while Reggae singer, Shuga — one of three women finalists, placed third with Dancing Same way.

The top three songs were all produced by Donovan Germain of Penthouse Records. “I am happy for the artistes because they were hesitant to enter the competition but I said no, the promotional value from this competition you cannot pay for that anywhere. They have gotten constant radio and print media promotion for the last six weeks, you can’t pay for that. Another objective for entering the completion is that Shuga and Exco have albums coming up shortly so this is an excellent platform for them to go forward on the project.”

Germain previously produced the winning Jamaica Festival Song in 2020, I am A Jamaican performed by Grammy Award winner Buju Banton.

Minister Grange encouraged Jamaicans with talent to enter the Competition next year. “I want to encourage everybody who can write, who can sing, who can produce, to enter the Jamaica Festival Song Competition which is the longest running song competition in Jamaica. It was conceptualised to be a competition to select a song that would be on the lips of every man, woman and child and would galvanize the country in celebrating its Independence. I want to see us achieve that. We are getting there but I want us to really get there sooner than later. So I am saying to the industry, enter the competition; and I am saying to the talent out there, enter the competition because the JCDC is about unearthing, grooming and showcasing talent so I want to see it all come together so that we will become stronger and better.”

The winner in this year’s competition was selected by a 50/50 split in number of public votes and the scores from judges.

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