Alaine’s IRAWMA win a manifestation of faith
Singer wins first award for gospel track
Published:Saturday | May 13, 2023 | 12:37 AMAaliyah Cunningham/Gleaner Writer
Many Jamaicans regard Alaine as one of the island’s best singers, but what some might not know is that for all the beautiful music she has given across her two-decades-long career, she does not recall receiving any award. The singer/songwriter has never allowed that to determine her approach to her artistry and has just always focused on putting out great music that adds some value to the lives of her fans. However, when she got the call that her track, If I have Faith, won the 40th International Reggae and World Music Award (IRAWMA) for Gospel Song of The Year, she told The Gleaner that the win was a manifestation of the song’s lyrics.
“The song says, ‘in this life you have joy and pain, you love and you lose and you win’ and this is just my win. So I am grateful,” Alaine shared.
She explained that knowing her music has had an impact on so many lives has always been the greatest reward for her, and winning this IRAWMA award for this track goes to show that doing the work consistently will eventually reap all the right results in the right time.
“I had been singing for maybe 20 years now and I have been really blessed to be recognised all around the world. I give thanks for the ability to tour and sing for people all over. But award shows, I have always been nominated, but I have never won. I thought maybe that is something that is just not going to happen for me,” said Alaine.
She told The Gleaner that her biggest blessing in creating music has been hearing from fans how much her music means to them and how it has impacted their lives. “Whether that is taking them through heartbreak or caused them to breathe a little more deeply or feel love through the music. I always see people go up onstage and say ‘thank you to the team for all their hard work’ and mi say, ‘well that is so wonderful’ and mi happy fi dem enuh and I am just like, ‘it is alright enuh I am just going to continue making my music’,” she said.
“I have faith is a song that I recorded with CIGA Records, who are the producers and the song is really about having faith and this is a testament to having faith and waiting on your time and to being authentic and to being open and keep being inspired even when you don’t win all the time and this is a manifestation of it. It is the best song that could encapsulate my journey so far,” Alaine continued.
Over the years she has given us tunes such as No Ordinary Love, Rise In Love, You Give Me Hope and Dreaming of You. Almost halfway through 2023, she is looking forward to sharing more music with her fans.
“I am very excited because I have a song that is a collaboration that is dropping next week Friday. That is all I am going to say about that cause that is something I am very excited for people to hear. The visuals are beautiful and the song is easily one of my best. It is a collaboration with someone that I really truly admire. I am excited about that. I have shows coming up all over the world, in Africa and places closer to home. I am just looking forward to all of the things and all the other unexpected blessings that are on the way,” she said.
Alaine, whose is also a radio presenter at Edge 105 FM, shared that beyond music her greatest purpose is to touch people’s lives with laughter and show how worthy of love they are.
The IRAWMA ceremony was held last Sunday at The Jamaica Pegasus.