Selected as a finalist for the Prix Joséphine 2026
- Jowee O
- Jun 26
- 1 min read
Jowee Omicil is one of ten finalists for the Prix Joséphine 2026 — France's most artist-driven music prize, conceived by artists for artists. It's a prize that crosses every genre: rap, rock, jazz, electronic, chanson, all judged on one thing alone — artistic quality. No genre lanes, no boundaries.
A jury of nine, chaired by Pomme, listened to 269 albums this year. Ten made the cut. Jowee's latest album sMiLes is one of them — a recognition that fits an artist who's never stayed in one box.
The winner is announced September 30 at L'Olympia — Paris's legendary concert hall — and Jowee will be on that stage with the other nine finalists. Mark that date.
Harper's Bazaar - "The Haitian-born artist delivers an ultimate jazz manifesto — vibrant, comforting, and timeless."
Les Inrockuptibles -"A fixture on the jazz scene for two decades — sMiLes elevates joy to a deeply spiritual, even political act."
TSUGI - "Jowee Omicil is among the serious contenders for the Prix Joséphine title, thanks to sMiLes, his eleventh album."
Télérama - "sMiLes — celebrated for its shimmering jazz and the generosity of a music steeped in a thousand influences."
L'Éclaireur Fnac - "Deeply in love with instruments, jazz musician Jowee Omicil roams from piccolo flute to tenor saxophone, by way of bass clarinet and piano”
