By Laila Lanford
ROSEAU, Dominica- Reggae legend Maxi Priest left Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival stage with one word on repeat: “Awesome.”
Fresh from a high-energy performance at Roseau’s Windsor Park Sports Stadium, the British-Jamaican star said the island’s warmth, music and people made him feel instantly at home.
“I feel awesome, awesome, awesome,” Priest said after the show. “I’ve been here about two days, exploring the island and enjoying it. The world is a big place—we’re always touring, always on the road—but when they book us, we come back.”
An island kid at home
For the reggae and lovers-rock icon, Dominica was not simply another tour stop. It was a return to something familiar.
“There’s no difference for me, because I am an island kid,” he said. “Every island for me is home, because these are my people.”
Priest said travelling across the Caribbean has taught him never to forget his roots. “I have to remember where I come from, because you can go nowhere when you’re coming from,” he explained. “Every island is a part of me.”
That connection, he said, is what makes every performance meaningful—whether on a global stage or “any little stage.”
“For me, performing on any little stage is a blessing, because of them, why I am who I am,” he said.
‘Vibes, vibes’ at WCMF
Priest was full of praise for the festival’s atmosphere, calling the crowd’s response “amazing” and describing Dominicans as “beautiful people.”
“I love this festival because it has such a wide variety,” he said. “We hear some music that we normally hear, and we meet some artists we never heard of before. The diversity is just awesome.”
The 26th World Creole Music Festival ran from October 23–25 at Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau, bringing together reggae, dancehall, soca, bouyon, kompa, amapiano and other Caribbean and international sounds.
Priest was among the festival’s headline acts, alongside Ne-Yo, Machel Montano, Capleton, Alkaline, Skillibeng, Fridayy and Uncle Waffles.
Having performed at festivals across the region, Priest said Dominica’s edition stood out for its spirit.
“I’ve been to a lot of festivals all over the Caribbean—this is vibes, vibes,” he said. “It teaches all of us the different vibrations, the different music, the different diversification of our culture.”
A message to the world
Priest said the festival opened his eyes to parts of Caribbean culture that people can miss when they stay focused on their own island or scene.
“Sometimes we get so caught up in our own situation that we don’t see other parts of the Caribbean,” he said. “This festival has been such an eye-opener.”
His verdict was emphatic: “These are my people, and I represent for them. I believe this Creole festival is so wide, and the people stand there and enjoy the experience. It’s so amazing—I would tell everybody in the world about this festival.”
For Maxi Priest, Dominica was more than a performance. It was proof that Caribbean music, culture, and connection still travel as one.
Maxi Priest last performed at the World Creole Music Festival in 1992.
