KEMA Awards HMI La Kreyòl
The Jury Decides

The jury

For KEMA 2026, 100 judges rank the 5 nominees in every category. Here is how their votes become a winner — and what we publish afterwards.

IJury selection

Who sits on the jury

The Voting Committee, or Jury, has 100 members representing key sectors of the HMI community, including:
Komite Vòt la oswa Jiri a gen 100 manm ki reprezante plizyè sektè kle nan kominote HMI la, tankou:
KEMA selects members from multiple regions to ensure national and international representation, including:
KEMA chwazi manm yo nan plizyè rejyon pou garanti yon reprezantasyon nasyonal ak entènasyonal, tankou:
II2025 jury

The first edition: 30 judges

In alphabetical order.

  • Alexis Burgos Alexis Burgos
  • Beaudry Audate Beaudry Audate
  • Carel Pedre Carel Pedre
  • Catherine Desmarattes Catherine Desmarattes
  • Dieunou Maurice Dieunou Maurice
  • Dieuve Venus Dieuve Venus
  • Dud Victor Dud Victor
  • Emmanuel Royal Emmanuel Royal
  • Erwine Clerge Erwine Clerge
  • Evens Jean Evens Jean
  • Gandhi Dorsonne Gandhi Dorsonne
  • Georges Simeon Georges Simeon
  • Jean Mary Simon Jean Mary Simon
  • Jean Max Valcourt Jean Max Valcourt
  • Jean Rodlin Pierre Jean Rodlin Pierre
  • Johnny Cenatus Johnny Cenatus
  • Jory Deravines Jory Deravines
  • Louisane Dorval Louisane Dorval
  • Maxcy Ceant Maxcy Ceant
  • Moses St Louis Moses St Louis
  • Mytherlee Joseph Mytherlee Joseph
  • Philippe St Louis Philippe St Louis
  • Priscilla Authier Priscilla Authier
  • Robert Charlot Robert Charlot
  • Samuel Notis Samuel Notis
  • Sanders Solon Sanders Solon
  • Sephora Drouillard Sephora Drouillard
  • Widlyn Previlus Widlyn Previlus
  • Wilny Pierre Wilny Pierre
  • Yvens Desir Yvens Desir
IIIIn numbers
100Judges
5Nominees to rank in each category
5→1Points per place
500Most points a nominee can earn
IVHow a vote counts

How does the jury vote?

There are 100 judges. In each category every judge ranks the five nominees from first to fifth. First is worth 5 points, second 4, third 3, fourth 2, fifth 1. The nominee with the most points wins the category. A vote counts only if the judge ranks all five nominees (or every nominee, when a category has fewer than five). An unfinished ranking stays saved and the judge can finish it until voting closes, but it does not count until it is finished. Rankings saved before October 3, 2026 count as they are.

Gen 100 jij. Nan chak kategori, chak jij klase 5 nomine yo depi 1ye jiska 5yèm. 1ye plas vo 5 pwen, 2yèm 4 pwen, 3yèm 3 pwen, 4yèm 2 pwen, 5yèm 1 pwen. Nomine ki gen plis pwen an genyen kategori a. Yon vòt konte sèlman si jij la klase tout 5 nomine yo (oswa tout nomine yo, lè kategori a gen mwens pase 5). Yon klasman ki pa fini rete anrejistre, e jij la ka fini l jiska vòt la fèmen, men li pa konte toutotan li pa fini. Klasman ki te anrejistre anvan 3 Oktòb 2026 konte jan yo ye.

  1. 1st place 5 points
  2. 2nd place 4 points
  3. 3rd place 3 points
  4. 4th place 2 points
  5. 5th place 1 point
The total
We add up the points from all 100 judges. If every judge ranks the same nominee first, it scores 500 points.
Nou adisyone pwen tout 100 jij yo. Si tout jij mete menm nomine an premye, li fè 500 pwen.
VRules for judges

Can a judge vote in a category they are nominated in?

No. A judge with a direct interest in a category — as artist, writer, producer or label — does not vote in it. Their vote is not counted, and the ledger shows how many judges actually voted.

Non. Yon jij ki gen yon enterè dirèk nan yon kategori — kòm atis, otè, pwodiktè oswa konpayi disk — pa vote nan kategori sa a. Vòt li pa konte, e rejis la montre konbyen jij ki te vote toutbon.

Why are nominees listed alphabetically?

Because the order must say nothing. On every image, every list and every ballot the five nominees appear in alphabetical order, so nobody can read a ranking that does not exist yet.

Paske òd la pa dwe di anyen. Sou chak imaj, chak lis ak chak bilten vòt, 5 nomine yo parèt nan òd alfabetik. Konsa pèsonn pa ka li yon klasman ki poko egziste.

How do Best Song and Best Album work?

The jury nominates nothing in these two categories. For Best Song it picks its top five from every song already nominated across Konpa, Rap, Variété, Gospel and Collaboration. For Best Album the pool is Konpa, Rap, Variété and Gospel.

Jiri a pa nomine anyen nan de kategori sa yo. Pou Best Song, jiri a chwazi 5 pi bon yo pami tout chante ki deja nomine nan Konpa, Rap, Variété, Gospel ak Kolaborasyon. Pou Best Album, pisin nan se Konpa, Rap, Variété ak Gospel.

VIThe voting ledger

What is published after a winner?

That category's voting ledger: how many judges voted, how many points each nominee earned, how many first-place votes. Each judge's individual vote is revealed after that category's winner is announced — not before.

Rejis vòt kategori a: konbyen jij ki te vote, konbyen pwen chak nomine fè, konbyen premye plas. Vòt chak jij parèt apre nou fin anonse gayan kategori a — pa anvan.

Read all the rules
VIIBecome a judge

Want to join the KEMA jury?

KEMA is looking for professionals and lovers of Haitian music who know the industry well. Fill in this form: KEMA reviews every application and contacts the people it selects.
KEMA ap chèche pwofesyonèl ak pasyone mizik ayisyen ki konnen endistri a byen. Ranpli fòm sa a: KEMA ap etidye chak aplikasyon, epi l ap kontakte moun li chwazi yo.