–Samuel Medas just can’t wait for the Awards next month

THERE’S nothing better than feeling rewarded after hard work, more so if you’re in the Guyana music industry where recognition and reward for your work is often few and far between.
This is exactly why Guyana’s Samuel Medas is so excited about his seven nominations at the Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards, where he is pitted against some of the biggest names in Caribbean gospel music.
The Marlin Award is the most coveted, and considered the highest honour in Caribbean gospel music.

The nominations all stem from his two albums, ‘Ink of Intimacy’ (2016), and ‘This Peculiar Journey’ (2014). The nominations include ‘Album of the Year’, where he’s going up against Papa San’s 2014 album, ‘One Blood’. The other nominations are ‘Song of the Year’ (Love Letter from Heaven), ‘New Artist of the Year’, ‘Calypso Vocal Performance of the Year Duo/Group’ (They Don’t Know, feat. Positive), ‘Contemporary Vocal Performance of the Year, Male’ (Love Letter from Heaven), ‘Praise & Worship Recording of the Year’ (Never Leave) and ‘Reggae Vocal Performance of the Year, Male’ (The Truth).

‘It was surreal! I felt so honoured! I woke up to the email saying nominations are out, so I started to browse through the categories and saw my name pop up again, and again, and again’ –Gospel singer, Samuel Medas

Following his win as ‘Best Male Gospel Artist’ at the Guyana International Music Awards early last year, Medas found out last September that his nominations to the Marlin Awards were being considered.
This being the case, it made him the first Guyanese to be nominated for an award at the event, much less seven of them. And it’s been an almost dreamlike experience for the 28-year-old ever since.

AN HONOUR IN ITSELF
For Samuel, hearing that he is being considered among some of the leading names in Caribbean gospel music is sweet music to his ears; and whether he wins or not, just being considered in the same category as them is an honour in itself.
“It was surreal! I felt so honoured! I woke up to the email saying nominations are out, so I started to browse through the categories, and saw my name pop up again, and again, and again,” Samuel said.

“It’s unreal, too, because some of the artists I’m contending against are well known and established, and have been around much longer than I have,” he told The Buzz.
So, following his performance at the “Love Over Violence!” gospel concert on Mash Night next month, Sammy, as he’s popularly called, is scheduled to wing out to The Bahamas for the awards ceremony on February 25, in Nassau.
Sammy is one of Guyana’s most accomplished gospel singer. He’s performed multiple times around the Caribbean, the USA and British territories, and collaborated with Caribbean music icons like Jamaica’s DJ Nicholas.

Sammy had heard of the Marlin Awards before, but never really had any idea what it entailed, or how to be a part of it. But it was last year, after performing in Trinidad, that someone suggested to him that he submit his work for consideration.
“I almost didn’t, though; reluctantly, I did,” he joked, as he reflected on how his efforts paid off.

‘A VERY PERSONAL PLACE’
‘Ink of Intimacy’ is Sammy’s third album, following ‘Heart to Heart’ (2013). The album comprises 12 songs and, according to Sammy, was written from a very personal place.
“You can tell when you listen to songs like “In Transit”, “Love Letter from Heaven” and “Never Leave”,” the Psalmist said, adding:
“Ink of Intimacy” was written from the depths of my truth; talking about not knowing where I’m going on this Christ walk sometimes; being constantly bombarded by memories of bad experiences and decisions; wanting to give up.

“But it’s also about songs of strength and hope and forgiveness; it captures God’s thoughts towards me, and in a broader sense, all of us who find ourselves in unchartered territory sometimes and start second guessing purpose.”
The Marlin Awards were established to recognise and honour outstanding achievement in Caribbean Gospel Music. Over 30 categories of awards will be up for grabs at the Awards ceremong, where hundreds of recording artists, songwriters, musicians, producers, media and other industry professionals will all gather to celebrate their work.