Dominican, jazz, fusion singer Michele Henderson is the winner of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) song competition, and her winning entry “Celebrating CARICOM” is now the regional body’s official anthem.
Henderson beat out 57 semi-finalists and ten finalists to emerge winner in the competition which was announced last year.
She says she screamed in disbelief when she first heard the news, and she is “happy and proud” for the accomplishment.
“I want to thank CARICOM for the honour. I want to thank my husband (Roland Delsol Jr.) from the bottom of my heart for believing I could do it and for producing the song; Earlson Mathew for his arrangement; Michael Ferrol for his drumming skills and the St. Alphonsus Choir for their choral input,” she said.
According to the competition rules, the song should reflect a strong Caribbean cultural identity, have versatility and lend itself to be played by various instruments, have a strong Caribbean cultural flavour and rhythm and inspire a sense of regional pride and unity.
Irwin Laroque, General Secretary of CARICOM (a Dominican himself) shares that the regional panel of judges considered her composition “an excellent reflection of the culture, identity and aspiration of the Caribbean Community engendering regional unity and pride and a fitting tribute to the 40th anniversary of CARICOM.”
The win is rather timely as next year will mark 20 years since Henderson burst on the music scene with her winning composition “My Pride”- a song she penned for the 1995 DOMFESTA (Dominica Festival of Arts) song competition. Much like that song, “Celebrating CARICOM” is a rallying cry for unity.
Henderson states that while keeping the rules of the competition in mind, her main goal was to create a song that would cause a groundswell and impact Caribbean people in a genuine way.
“In addition to its use at official functions, it’s my hope that “Celebrating CARICOM” will cause people from member islands to come together and build on our strengths. Regular rotation on local radio and a corresponding video on TV would go even further to encourage persons from all over the region to see that we really are more similar than we are different,” she says.
Henderson hails from Grand Bay, a community often times referred to as the cultural capital of Dominica and sings in English, French and French Creole. No stranger to the Regional stage, she has performed at the CBU Song competition in Barbados, Trinidad’s Jazz Artists on the Green, St. Lucia Jazz Festival, Carifesta in St. Kitts and Trinidad, St. Bart’s Music Festival, Spice Jazz in Grenada, the World Creole Music Festival in Dominica and numerous concert events in the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The seasoned flutist has six albums to her credit including her most recent Home (Chez Moi). She also successfully writes for competitors across a range of genres from pop to cadencelypso to calypso.
The powerful vocalist has been honoured by the government of Dominica for her contribution to culture and the development of the French Language; and as of 2004 appointed Goodwill ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean island.
Dominica’s Minister of Culture Justina Charles and parliamentary representative for the Grand Bay community shared the government’s pride at her most recent achievement.
“I want to as Minister of Culture extend congratulations to Michele for emerging winner of the CARICOM song competition and as parliamentary representative of her community I must say that I am extremely elated about her win,” she said. “Michele has been doing wonderfully well nationally, regionally, internationally. I think that her mother, her sisters and her family must be very proud of her and we in the Grand Bay constituency and Dominica by extension are very proud that such a prestigious honour has been earned by one of our own. Her example confirms to us her potential. We wish her all the best in her future creative pursuits.”
The results were first announced to CARICOM Heads of Government at the twenty-fifth Inter-Session Meeting held in March 2014 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Henderson’s first official performance of “Celebrating CARICOM, the official CARICOM song will be at the opening ceremony for the thirty-fifth Regional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government to be held Tuesday 1st July, 2014. There she will also be presented with her winning cheque of US$10,000.00.
CARICOM was established on 4 July 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas on the principle of regional integration for national and regional development. The grouping comprises 15 full member states (Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago) and 5 associates (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands). The Secretariat is headquartered in Georgetown Guyana.
Well done Michele and congratulations! You were destined for greatness and this is exactly what you are doing. Personally and as your blood relative and fellow Grand Bayrian I am very proud of all your accomplishments. You are continuing to raise the bar very high and every Dominican should be proud. Continue your awesome work and may God continue to inspire your creativity. Simpson Pacquette ( SHORWAZZ )
I love Michele Henderson! Her talent precedes her. Awesome job lady, thanks for your contribution!
Congratulations Michele Looking forward to singing along. Where can I find the song
Congratulations and thanks for providing us with some good news.
Wow!!!!!! I am so proud to hear this and very happy for you.
Dear Michele we are all very proud of you. My family sends all their best wishes. You’re such a hard worker and all it shows that all your efforts do pay off. Thank you for representing our dear Dominica and your success has put it on the map! Gracias querida Michele!
Congrats my cuz!
She should audition for the voice..
Grand Bay again? Soar, Michelle soar!!
Congrats to a great Dominican child, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, nen-nen, neighbour, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, woman of worth, singer Michele Henderson-Delsol. To God be the glory. More blessings my nature isle sister!
Congrats Michele…for representing the Nature Island of the region and its people so well and now the region…wishing you and hubby Jah’s continues blessings and success!
Congrats my girl, knew you can do whatever the music calls for. Still picture you singing at the wedding. keep on doing your best, luv to you and your family.
i want to hear the song
How or when can we hear the song?
Congratulation Michele well done andit is nice to see tthat your good talent hails from Grandbay. Positive positive.
You are continuing to make us proud. This just one of the many big successes you are going to encounter. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
DNO were there other entries from Dominica? Did they do other places or is it just a winner? I am so happy Dominica came out on top. Michele is one phenomenal woman… hats off to her!
Congratulation Michelle Henderson as you continue to put or beautiful nature island of the Caribbean on the map. I wish u many more success at your future quest. Congrats once more
What song did she sing? where can interest ppl hear it?
Where the track.. I wanna hear it…
I believe in you Michele !! Congratulation to you on your achievement, Continue to reach for the Heavens as the sky and beyond is the limit. I am proud of you and your humbleness. God Bless you and your family!! #1 fan!!
Congratulations my Dear Michele. You are truly blessed. Continue to make us proud.
Michelle is the best. I am so happy that she is being recognized for her extra ordinary talent.
Hi Michele (and Jr) congratulations. Yahweh’s blessings
A true songbird! Especially nice that your talents are being recognized far and wide.
A HUGE Congratulations to you Ms Henderson. I am very proud of you. Keep up the awesome work that you do.
michele henderson you keep making us proud and you are a great example to us. on your achievement we in dominica say thank you my dear. we love you. nuff respect and big up.
Congrats to Michelle on your achievement.
I am wondering though why is it that over and over and over again we are so polarised in our thinking within this region, (Caribbean, OECS Dominica) A good talent is not good because of where the person lives…it is good because of the “person”. dedication comittment, training, development, responsibility etc… and the blessings of God (some may not recognise God’s hand in this but I do). Was this competition to see which island has the best singer, best voice or can write the best song? The focus was not on the island nor even for that matter on the person…it was on the song, a song that would put Caricom in positive perspective. Now it is strange to see that having won the competition the very thing that the song was designed to do is being undone by the comments. Caricom unity really is hard to achieve. let’s just congratulate the young lady on her fine performance and achievement and forget the rest unless it is to “big up” Caricom.
Great job Michele. We need to support and believe in our own. Do a search on DNO for “caricom contest” and watch the first comment under the original article, April 6, 2013.
“Y’all know is Jamaican or Trini that gon win right ?”
This is what we do, then pretend that we were supporting all along when the end result is good. Been mad at that comment for a year now.. We never believe in our own until somebody else believes in it..
Great job Michele
CONGRATS!
Congratulation to Michelle Henderson!
Thank you Michele for making us Proud Dominicans around the Globe, wherever we are at the moment. Thank you for uniting and unifying us all as one people proud to be Dominicans, even if for a moment. Your talent is special and awesome and we appreciate you. You give your all for us and Dominica, and we love you. Congratulations on your achievement and may the Good Lord continue to shower Blessings on you and your family in great abundance.
Congratulation Michele for a job well done!
great job mis ,DA i no we could do it
Congratulations!!!! Are in order to our own lady of song you have etched your name in the history books, and making Dominica and Dominicans proud by your achievement it demonstrates, we may be small but we can achieve big things, and compete with the best. Good luck going forward, our prayers are with you and your family. You may have punched you ticket to be one of the main acts at our up coming W.C.M.F. That would be the ice on the cake.
lady of
Congratulation Ms. Henderson! Job well done! You have just written and composed the CARICOM Anthem basically! That is a biggee!
It is a bigeee!! That song will be used for years and years to come. Your talent as a writer, singer, musician is a God-given blessing. Keep developing and using it to bring yourself and our country to higher heights. Blessings queen!! See you at Riverside Jazz & Creole next Saturday!!
well done Michelle. Your dad must be smiling in heaven.
@DNO Story should read Michelle will receive a prize of…. and not price. thanks
It does say prize.
Michele Congrats!!! You deserve all the accolades that come your way, so proud of you. Keep on…Keep on…
Congratulations Michele, we are extremely proud of you. Lift Dominica’s name high, we need good vibes.
Congratulations, Miss Henderson. A high achievement indeed! Your song will be played throughout the Caribbean and at all CARICOM-organized events.
She’s great!
Congrats Michelle! That is fantastic news!! Your talent has no bounds. So proud
Stay just the way you are… simply beautiful! Congratulations, you are truly one of Dominica’s gems and you always do yourself proud. Stay simple and true.
Congratulations to our lady of song you have etched you name in the history books. Good news like yours needs to be highlighted and emulated by all peace and loving Dominicans. Keep the light burning and take Dominica`s name to the real world. Thanks for your contributions.
I just wanna say big up to our own michelle.and much congrats to her and her family. You go girl. You are truly bless…Atum-RE, Atun-Re, Amun-Re. ..
Congrats! !!
Congratulations young lady. So very talented.
Congrats!!!!!
yes my girl congrats, I personally believe there is so much more to come for you so keep on keeping on. Do you ting big time!!!!!
Well done Michele you done your country proud Grand Bay again whoop whoop
Congratulations of the highest caliber. This achievement means volumes for the number of talented musicians in Dominica. You have again given international recognition to DA’s music and musicians. Thank you very much. Honestly, to me ” Your’e simply the best”.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU MICHELE HENDERSON!!!
Congratulations to Dominica
More inspiration to our artists, our youth, our creators and all who support them
Job well done!
so proud of you girl, keep on making us proud
Welcome news. Congratulations.
Yea congrats Michele thanks for putting us in a good light I always say that we as a people we have so much talent but most don’t put it to good use, that’s why am calling on the PM to introduce baseball to our little island as you call it. Am so proud of you ever so often I go look at your performance in England when you sang HALO you really hit it out the park thanks again.
Why must it be left to the Government to introduce baseball? Why not a sporting group? Why not you?
Trust me herd if I had the finances to send at least five young men from five different villages go to Cuba or the DR and have them learn the sport so they could come back and hold clinics and start at least two teams trust me I would without asking any one, the only reason I refer to the PM is because we have relations with a few Latin countries Sir if I had the finances I would build a few baseball fields, boss I already give the PM his flowers while he’s alive so you backing up the wrong tree. PS if any teams or clinic is formed I will be sending balls, bats, and gloves. Sorry I had to post this under something so positive.
real possie ;that’s a good suggestion.some people too like to take what they want and twist it around.
You may not have the finances real possie but if you put a plan in motion and ask for investors you just might get lucky….it’s all in the planning.
let me be the first to say conrats to you Michele, we are proud of us.
Congrats Michele on your acheivement. Again putting Dominica on the map by doing what you do best.