Petra Williams
September 13, 2026 – There is something deeply valuable about creating a platform that sees people – particularly those whose work may otherwise continue quietly, consistently, and without widespread recognition.
As the Antigua and Barbuda Global Music and Media Awards approach their 11th biennial staging, I congratulate its originator, Stanshaw Cornelius, not only for creating the programme, but for sustaining it with consistency and vision.
The awards were initiated in 2015 by So Arise Music International, originally providing a platform to recognise gospel artistes and others contributing to the development of gospel music. Over time, the programme expanded its reach to include media professionals, content creators and local artistes working in other genres.
This year’s edition runs from November 5-8, 2026, bringing four days of recognition and celebration across three major streams. The Global Gospel Awards segment recognises outstanding gospel artistes, songs, ministries and contributions from Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean and the wider international gospel community. The Media Awards celebrate excellence across radio, television, journalism, digital media, magazines, social-media influence, production and other areas of the media industry. The Island Groove Awards are dedicated to Antigua and Barbuda’s local artistes, recognising achievement across the country’s wider music and entertainment landscape.
Together, these three streams embrace a broad community of creatives and media practitioners, while retaining the gospel foundation upon which the programme was built. Its development has created a platform through which creative and professional work can be identified, celebrated and introduced to a wider audience.
That kind of growth does not happen by chance. Starting an awards programme is one thing; sustaining it is another. The journey would undoubtedly have included difficult periods, limited resources, criticism and the many challenges that confront independent initiatives in a small society. It takes persistence to keep organising, expanding and refining such a project when circumstances may provide many reasons to stop.
For that commitment, Stanshaw Cornelius and her team deserve our congratulations.
For years, however, I remained largely a distant observer. I saw the awards unfolding, noticed some of the nominees and winners, and watched its profile gradually develop. As the categories expanded and the nominations pool widened, the awards began to draw greater public interest, including my own.
One example of this was the year J’Truth was nominated. His nomination drew widespread attention to the awards, bringing in people who might not previously have followed the platform and sparking wider discussion around the voting process. It showed how nominees with strong public followings can help bring greater visibility to a developing awards programme.
That is one of the ways nominations work both ways. When high-profile nominees are included, they can bring new audiences, wider conversations and greater public attention to an awards platform. At the same time, the nomination places another spotlight on their work and accomplishments. This is the mutually beneficial relationship an awards programme can create: nominees strengthen the platform, and the platform provides additional recognition for the nominees.
I was therefore genuinely surprised to be nominated in 2024 for National Social Media Influencer of the Year, which I won, even more surprisingly.
My work started as a hobby and is niche, not mainstream. Whether through Petra The Spectator, Time Capsule, Spectator Sports, Eye on the Economy, or my wider media engagements, I’ve largely focused on documenting our people and our history, interrogating national issues, and telling stories I believe deserve greater attention. I never imagined this body of work would receive such acknowledgment.
My initial feelings about the 2024 win were mixed. Recognition can sometimes make us uncomfortable, especially when we are used to focusing on the work rather than ourselves. But gratitude eventually rose above everything else.
I was grateful to those who considered the work worthy of nomination. I was grateful to those who took the time to vote. And I was deeply appreciative of being named the 2024 ABGMA National Social Media Influencer of the Year.
That award did not belong only to me. It also represented the people whose stories I have been privileged to tell, the audiences who read, listen, respond, and share, and the wider community that continues to support my work. It also recognized my small team, who offer invaluable support to the overall production.
As public voting continues for the 2026 awards until September 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. AST/ET, on https://soarisemusic.com/voteabgma, supporters can review the nominees and vote in the various categories. Voting is unlimited, although automated voting systems and other forms of vote padding are prohibited.
I congratulate every nominee whose portfolio of work is being recognised. A nomination acknowledges that someone has seen the work. It says that the hours, the sacrifice, the creativity and the commitment have made an impression.
We must become more deliberate about supporting the work taking place across our community. Too often, we wait for international recognition before valuing what has been created at home. We should not need validation from elsewhere before celebrating our own artistes, journalists, broadcasters, producers, writers, entrepreneurs and content creators.
Support can take many forms. It can mean purchasing the work, sharing it, attending an event, offering encouragement or simply taking a few moments to vote.
I invite you to review the nominee lists for the Global Gospel Awards, Media Awards, and Island Groove Awards, celebrate the work being done throughout our community, and participate in the process by voting.
And, naturally, if Petra Williams of Petra The Spectator has informed, inspired or entertained you along the way, I would be grateful for your support once again.