The third Caribbean Music Awards took place on Thursday 28 August 2025, at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. The event brought together some of the region’s top stars, featuring performances by Elephant Man, Ding Dong, Full Blown, and Machel Montano. Shenseea was the night’s biggest winner, making history as the most awarded artist with her hit Hit & Run. Bounty Killer was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Busta Rhymes received the Elite Icon Award.
The ceremony took place in August but was not shown live. It premiered later on BET and Trace on Friday 12 September, at 11pm EST, the same time the complete list of winners was released. Among the highlights was Yung Bredda’s win of the Soca Impact Award. However, he did not attend the ceremony, explaining that he felt disappointed about not having received the awards he had previously won. Still, he expressed pride in his journey and in the positive impact he has made on Caribbean culture.
Below is the list of the winners.
SOCA
- Female Soca Artist of the Year – Patrice Roberts
- Male Soca Artist of the Year – Kes
- Soca Best New Artist – Blaka Dan
- Soca Collaboration of the Year – Trilla G x Lil Boy x Quan – Someone Else
- Soca Impact Award – Yung Bredda
- Soca Performer of the Year – Kes
- Soca Video of the Year – Patrice Roberts – Anxiety
- Soca Song of the Year – Mical Teja – DNA
DANCEHALL
- Dancehall Best New Artist – Malie Donn
- Dancehall Album of the Year – Shenseea – Never Gets Late Here
- Dancehall Collaboration of the Year – Shenseea x Masicka x Di Genius – Hit & Run
- Dancehall Impact Award – Armanii
- Dancehall Performer of the Year – Spice
- Dancehall Song of the Year – Shenseea x Masicka x Di Genius – Hit & Run
- Female Dancehall Artist of the Year – Shenseea
- Male Dancehall Artist of the Year – Vybz Kartel
REGGAE
- Female Reggae Artist of the Year – Lila Iké
- Male Reggae Artist of the Year – Romain Virgo
- Reggae Album of the Year – Romain Virgo – The Gentle Man
- Reggae Best New Artist – Sevana
- Reggae Collaboration of the Year – Bugle, Buju Banton & (Jr Gong) Damian Marley – Thank You Lord
- Reggae Impact Award – YG Marley
- Reggae Song of the Year – Romain Virgo feat Masicka – Been There Before Reggae–Dancehall (Cross-category)
- Reggae–Dancehall Video of the Year – Shenseea x Masicka x Di Genius – Hit & Run
DJs
- Female International DJ of the Year – DJ Ana
- Male International DJ of the Year – DJ Private Ryan
OTHER CARIBBEAN GENRES
- Bouyon Artist of the Year – Mr. Ridge
- Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year – Naïka
- Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year – Dexta Daps
- French Caribbean Artist of the Year – Joé Dwèt Filé
- Konpa Artist/Band of the Year – Rutshelle Guillaume
- Latin Caribbean Artist of the Year – Bad Bunny
- Zess–Steam Artist of the Year – Lady Lava
EVENTS AND CRUISES
- Music Cruise of the Year – UberSoca
- Music Event of the Year – Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Street
GENERAL / PEOPLE’S CHOICE
- People’s Choice Award – Vybz Kartel
