Gospel Song winner performs in Florida

Jerome Smith, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) 2011's Gospel Song Competition winner, will perform at Fort Lauderdale's Gospel Singer Competition tomorrow night. Smith, whose song We Need won him $500,000 cash and a recording contract, among other prizes, has also released a single in Florida, Will You Stand.

Leighton Jones, coordinator of the Gospel Song Competition, explained that Smith's performance comes as the result of an alliance between the JCDC and Vision International Ministries, the organisers of the Fort Lauderdale event. The 2010 winner of the Gospel Singer Competition, Tamara Cushnie, performed at this year's JCDC Gospel Song Competition finals, held at the National Arena. Now, it's JCDC's time to reciprocate.

Will You Stand will be released here in Jamaica next week.

Busy schedule

Smith's itinerary included a performance at Bishop Henry Fernandez's church. He will make another appearance at a jerk festival on Sunday before returning home on Monday.

Before his departure this week, Smith, a past student of Jamaica College, revealed that he has been busy since winning the gospel finals in the summer. He said he has been benefiting from invitations to perform at several events. He has also been busy in the studio recording songs, some of which will be released soon.

Jones also revealed that Smith has been offered a recording contract by a local gospel production house with international ties, and negotiations are ongoing.