Kevin Downswell closes Genesis Praise Fest in gratitude
Published:Saturday | January 3, 2026 | 12:07 AM
As Genesis Praise Fest drew to a close on New Year’s Day, the mood inside the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre was one of quiet certainty that the year ahead holds hope. After hours of praise and worship marking the festival’s 40th staging, gospel recording artiste Kevin Downswell stepped forward to deliver the final set of the night, closing the event for the first time.
Earlier in the evening, gospel acts including Jermaine Edwards, Goddy Goddy, Carey Sayles, Prince Saj, Johnmark Wiggan, Audia Spencer-Brown, Rian Davis, and Genesis Praise Squad took the stage, leading the crowd in worship through song.
Rather than looking back, Downswell’s presentation focused firmly on what lies ahead. His selections were shaped by gratitude for having made it through a demanding 2025 and a belief that the new year carries promise for those who endured.
“This set is rooted in gratitude,” Downswell shared. “Gratitude for surviving 2025, when we could have folded. Gratitude for still being here, still breathing, still believing,” he added.
His performance blended soulful reggae influences with contemporary worship, moving through original songs, such as Not Afraid and Grace, alongside familiar worship material from CeCe Winans and Travis Greene. The flow of the set felt intentional, carrying the audience from thanksgiving into expectation.
Downswell described the moment not as reflective, but forward-moving.
“I am walking into 2026 with a bold assurance that it is already done,” he told The Gleaner. “The things we prayed for and pressed heaven about, this is the season where many of them begin to show up.”
The message resonated in a country still processing the challenges of the past year, including the impact of Hurricane Melissa. Against that backdrop, Downswell framed 2026 as a season of grace and gratitude, acknowledging both survival and hope.
“This is a season where faithfulness speaks,” he told the crowd. “Where those who stayed focused and stayed planted begin to see results.”
The significance of the moment was heightened by Downswell’s long relationship with Genesis Praise Fest. Before becoming a featured performer, he was once among the patrons in the audience, attending the annual event as a supporter.
“To see that journey is humbling,” he reflected. “At one point, you are in the crowd, hoping and dreaming. Then you are standing on the stage, trusted to help lead people in worship.”
That sense of shared journey mirrored the ethos of Genesis itself, which for four decades has provided a consistent space for worship, fellowship, and the development of gospel music in Jamaica.