The 64th annual GRAMMY Awards has created a first in the Best Reggae Album category; two women have been nominated in the same category in the same year.

Spice, Queen of Dancehall (“10”) and Etana (“Pamoja”) are the first co-female nominees to earn the prestigious nod.

It’s the first time in the 36 year history of the Best Reggae Album Award that two women have been nominated simultaneously.

Since the category was created in 1985 (the GRAMMY’s held their first awards in 1958), 5 women have been nominated for Best Reggae Album. Judy Mowatt was the first in 1986 for her album Working Wonders. Rita Marley followed in 1992 with We Must Carry On, and in 1997 Sister Carol got the nod for Lyrically Potent.

In 2019 Etana was nominated for Reggae Forever, but the first female to win in this category came in Kooffee Rapture EP, via Koffee with her EP Rapture. This year she has been nominated again, her album features a single with incarcerated World Boss Vybz Kartel, listen to their collaboration here.

In 2021 Spice became the first female Dancehall artist to be nominated in the category. Fellow Dancehall nominees include Shabba Ranks (1992, 1993), Beenie Man (2001) and Sean Paul (2004).

Queen of Dancehall Spice and Reggae songstress Etana are among the six nominees for the Best Reggae Album Grammy Award in 2022.

Spice was nominated for her latest studio album “10”, while Etana earned a nomination for her album Pamoja, that features also collaborations with Jamaican Dancehall King Vybz Kartel, as well as Nigerian Stonebwoy, Damian Marley, and Alborosie.

The full list of nominees are:

• Spice 10

• Etana Pamoja

• Sean Paul for Live N Livin,

• Jesse Royal for Royal,

• Gramps Morgan for Positive Vibration, and

• American band SOJA Beauty in the Silence.

Spice obtained her first nomination for her Shaggy executive-produced studio effort “10”, which was its her first studio album. Released by VP Records, 10 included Spice’s biggest hit like “So Mi Like It” and her big summer anthem “Go Down Deh”, which featured Shaggy and Sean Paul. Stream Spice Queen of Dancehall Debut Album ’10’ Out 6th August 2021 VP Records

Sean Paul’s Live N Livin collaborative album released under Paul’s Dutty Rock own imprint, features 22 guest appearances including Skillibeng, Masicka, and Intence, as well as veterans like Buju Banton, Damian Marley, and Busy Signal. Stream the project here, This is Sean Paul ninth Grammy nomination.

This is Jamaican reggae crooner Jesse Royal first nomination  for the album “Royal” which featured Vybz Kartel, Runkus, Stonebwoy, Protoje and more.

As you can see Vybz Kartel’s contribution is present in two albums Jesse Royal & Etana. We can say at least Kartel brought them good luck and makes him one of the bigger winner of this Grammy edition.

Grammy-winning producer Sean Alaric (responsible for Koffee’s Throne and Teyana Taylor’s Bad) produced over half the album, along with Jesse Royal himself, Natural High, Dretegs, iotosh, Yared “Boomdraw” Lee, Romario Bennett (also known as Runkus), and Wayne Thompson.