Lost In Time Day 1 | Joby Jay, Iotosh kick off LIT
Published:Saturday | February 28, 2026 | 7:46 PMNicola Cunningham/Entertainment Coordinator -
Good music needs a solid foundation, and the early segment of Lost in Time (LIT) delivered just that as rising standouts gave the audience musical sustenance.
Joby Jay came cut a striking figure in burgundy, though she begged nature to deliver a little Cool Breeze to balance her out. "Jamaica hot, so when you get a little cool breeze, you haffi give thanks," Joby Jay said on stage. With Big Girl Ting, she built further momentum, and the crowd started gathering in larger numbers at the front of the stage. Removing the outer layer of her costume, she was pretty in pink, sporting a two-piece set. With her two backup dancers for dancehall time as she performed Prove It. Keeping it sexy, she launched into Bare before inviting Chris Malachi on stage for their soulful duet Try. The track also features Paris La Mont. Their synergy worked well, and the crowd was vibing to the lyrics and dancing despite the humidity.
JAM SESSION
Iotosh followed and raised the energy even more, the music pulling patrons from the outdoor dining experience for a jam session at the front of the stage. Armed with his guitar, he got into Bad News and Perfection and with the latter, dived into a spirited guitar solo that the enthusiastic crowd swallowed whole. A man familiar with the stage and how to provide an energetic performance, he belted out Righteous in a style reminiscent of a young Damian 'Jr Gong' Marley in terms of tone and lyrical flexibility, and the crowd showed their appreciation. In tribute to those who have recently passed, he crooned, "I remember exactly where I was" before launching into Lose a Friend. Challenging his fans to sing along with him, he closed with Can't Stop a Man and the classic Have You Ever.
The Lost in Time musical festival is currently underway at the Hope Botanical Gardens in St Andrew. It returned in 2026 with a two-day staging after a hiatus in 2025. With a strong line-up across both days, Protoje, Lila Iké, Tanya Stephens, and Mortimer are set to take the stage tonight. Yeza and Mortimer have already delivered their performances.
Sunday will feature a headline performance by Chronixx, marking his return to a major Jamaican festival stage since his last advertised headline tour, the Chronology Tour, in December 2017. Other performers of the day include Jesse Royal, Jah 9, Naomi Cowan, Dyani, Royal Blu, and Dahvid Slur.