Dancehall hitmaker Malie Donn is celebrating another major milestone in his career after securing a nomination for Best New Entertainer at the 2026 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) — a moment that signals his impact on the local music scene.
For the Body Tea deejay, the recognition is both humbling and motivating.
“Honestly, it feel good. It show seh the work nah go unnoticed,” Malie Donn told THE STAR. “Mi just a stay focused and keep putting in the work. Big up everybody weh support mi.”
The nomination sees Malie Donn going up against fellow dancehall heavyweights Ayetian, Mystic Marley, Skippa, and Nhance, all artistes who have been making waves across the genre in recent times.
“Big respect to all the other nominees. Everybody inna the category a put in work and represent fi dancehall inna dem own way,” Malie Donn said. “Just being mentioned alongside them is a big deal, so mi give thanks fi that. At the end of the day, we all a push the culture forward.”
A nomination like this helps set Malie Donn on his goal of longevity and success in the industry. When asked what that looks like for him, the entertainer made it clear that his vision goes far beyond hits and hype.
“Anybody can buss for a moment, but staying relevant, staying consistent, and still being in demand years down the line — that mi a look fah. Mi waan reach a level where mi music live on … where people can look back years from now and still connect with it,” he explained.
“Mi nah just do this for now, mi a build something weh ago last,” Malie Donn told T HE STAR.
But, while the accolades and the success roll in, the artiste is already looking ahead to his next big moment — taking the stage at Sandz Caribbean Music Festival, where he is set to deliver one of the most anticipated performances of the Vacae Weekend 2026 line-up.
“Sandz is a big stage,” he said. “A lot of people come out for that event, so mi know seh mi haffi deliver. The fans dem can expect energy, vibes … everything tun up,” he added.
For Malie Donn, however, the focus remains clear — growth, consistency and performance.
“Mi just a build, you see me. Mi nah stop work,” he said.
With the IRAWMA nomination adding to his momentum and a major Sandz performance on the horizon, all eyes will be on the rising star as he continues to make his mark on the dancehall scene.
And, if his confidence is anything to go by, patrons can expect nothing short of a standout performance.
“Just watch the performance,” he said with a smile.
