Naomi Cowan Earns First Ever 2026 JUNO Nomination

Naomi Cowan has received her first-ever JUNO Award nomination, landing a Reggae Recording of the Year nod for her debut album Welcome To Paradise, credited to Dreamspace/7th C\ADA. The nomination puts Cowan’s full-length project up against a field dominated this year by standalone tracks, a rare recognition for an album in the category and a boost for roots-forward releases.

The Reggae Recording of the Year shortlist includes Jojo You Made That, Yung 2nuff, Erin B, Topman Meeko, One Don and Enzooo for Dagga Riddim Cypher; Samora and Ammoye for More Reggae (Funk It Up); Kirk Diamond for Deh Ya/Deh Yah; and Exco Levi and Kheilstone for Ready For You. Exco Levi arrives at this year’s shortlist with a long JUNO history - this marks his 13th nomination and sixth win - while Kirk Diamond carries seven nominations and three wins into the vote. Both artists posted on social media celebrating the nominations; Exco Levi wrote, “Honoured to receive my 2026 JUNO nomination. As we continue pushing a message of love and unity through reggae music across Canada. It hasn’t been easy. We’ve watched other genres receive major record deals and industry backing, often for chasing trends and momentary hype. But we will not bow. We carry the legacy of our founders Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, and many others. Reggae has been played on every continent. It is the heartbeat of the people. And we will continue to fight for our rightful place.” Kirk Diamond posted, “Big love for all the support. Thank you @thejunoawards for another nomination. Congratulations to my bro @bmusicallyspeaking for creating this and trusting me with it. @frodilla thank you for creating the video in Jamaica and Toronto bringing the vision to life.”

Naomi Cowan’s nomination arrives after a career path that spans Toronto education and Jamaican musical lineage. Cowan, described in coverage as Jamaican and Jamaican-Canadian, is the daughter of Tommy Cowan and Dr. Carlene Davis-Cowan, and an alumnus of Ryerson University. Ron Fanfair reported that Cowan spent over a year working in Toronto’s corporate sector before returning to Jamaica in 2017 to focus on music. Cowan also appears on screen, having portrayed Marcia Griffiths in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love.

Industry support and production funding helped shape Welcome To Paradise. The 7th C grant, quoted by outlets, “provided a foundation to allow Naomi Cowan and Toddla T to explore creating a listening experience that we hope will remain a staple in reggae music history.” Cowan has thanked radio DJs and supporters publicly; on Instagram she wrote, “First album, first JUNO nomination in Canada. God really surprised me yesterday with this one.”

CARAS announced the 2026 nominations on January 27, and winners will be revealed at the JUNO Awards gala on March 28, with the televised Junos broadcast the following night on March 29. The wider JUNO field this year includes 248 nominations across 47 categories and 65 artists making their JUNO debut, underscoring the scale of the awards and the chance for reggae to claim broader attention.

For reggae audiences and community players, Cowan’s album nomination matters: it validates album-oriented projects, highlights cross-border careers that move between Toronto and Kingston, and gives new momentum to shows and radio support. Naomi Cowan is scheduled for touring that includes a first headline show at New York’s SOB’s in March, and her own words frame the moment: “We’re just getting started with Welcome to Paradise,” and “By the end of 2026, I want you to hear my name and think of Paradise.” Expect the reggae scene to rally behind that push as the JUNO gala approaches.