Reggae star Etana, having spent much time abroad in the last 12 months and brought a bouncing baby girl into the world, her second child, is happy to be performing in Jamaica again.

That famous slogan congratulating women for choosing a certain brand of cigarette is being used here to congratulate certain Jamaican women for a far more worthy achievement.

Sam Cooke, who we featured in last week's Music Diaries, may very well be the main catalyst behind the emergence of the soul music genre, described as 'a kind of slow-tempoed music, incorporating elements of rhythm and blues and gospel music, popularised by American Blacks.'

After a successful 2012, reggae artiste I-Octane is already gearing up to make 2013 memorable. The artiste has officially launched his own record label, Conquer The Globe Productions, and has already released a new single that has been creating waves on the local scene.

Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna is calling for a cultural revolution in Jamaica anchored in traditional cultural values in order to stem the negative influences she says are affecting the foundations of society.

2012 was a better year for some local artistes and a trying one for others. Dancehall seemed to have reached its pinnacle in Jamaica, which boded well for rising dancehall acts like Konshens and Tommy Lee Sparta.

After three years of title sponsorship by Pepsi, plus previous stints with Tru-Juice and D&G Malta, it has been a while since the name Rebel Salute stood on its own in an advertisement for the annual mid-January festival.