The 2008 Digicel Rising Star's letter.

Greetings Jamaica,

As a child, I had a dream. My dream was to one day have a crowd waiting with excitement and anticipation, just to see me perform. Last Friday night, my dream was realised, thanks to your votes and continuous support throughout the Digicel 'Rising Stars' competition.

In May, I entered the competition as just another contestant; but last Friday I went home as the 2008 winner and the first female to ever have that title. To hold those two distinctions is one of the greatest achievements of my life.

Hearing my name being announced as this year's Digicel Rising Star was simply surreal, and so I cried. I cried because I couldn't hold back the tears. I had an overwhelming inner joy that words could not explain.

I have had a long and exciting journey in the competition; one that was filled with lessons, trials and some very happy moments. However, all my current achievements would not have been possible without a number of people who have proven extremely helpful throughout the course of the competition.

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First, I must thank God for not only life, but this wonderful talent that He's given to me. Also, my mother, Julet Brown, has been a tower of strength and support throughout my entire life. To her I say thanks for moulding me into the woman I am today, and for always encouraging me to go after my dreams. My family and friends have been a source of significant support and to them I am eternally grateful. I want to also extend my deepest gratitude to the judges for their constructive criticisms every week.

To my Denham Town community, your votes, words of encouragement and faith in me were extremely important in helping me to achieve the success that I have today. To my co-workers at the Ministry of National Security, especially to my boss who has been extremely understanding and supportive throughout the competition, a big thank you to all.

Additionally, to my past school, Kingston Technical High, Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort, thanks for the votes and the publicity that you have all given me during the competition.

A big thank you to my new family on the show, Tahnida Nunes, the executive producer; Sharon Schroeter, the series producer; Francine Misir, the projects logistics and contestant coordinator; and all the crew, musical and vocal and performance coaches, Patsy Ricketts, Michael Holgate, Peter Ashbourne and Michael Harris. You've all helped me to mature, not only as an entertainer but also as a person, and for that I am truly grateful.

Thanks for all the encouragement, for being tolerant and also for being comforting during the not-so-happy times in the competition. Also, I must say thanks to the stylist T'Rone and the Miami Heat crew for ensuring that I looked my best every week and to Urban Beauty for their expertise in doing my make-up, which was fabulous in every way.

I cannot stress enough the friendships that I have developed with all the contestants on the show. In their own way, they've all had some amount of impact on my life. These friendships are a true indication of the fact that you don't have to know people for a long time in order to connect with them. Being in the top two with Kahlil was not only a significant achievement, but also very overwhelming because they are really talented individuals. Expect collaborations from us as we start our careers in the entertainment industry.

Thank you Digicel for the opportunity to showcase my talent to Jamaica; Digicel 'Rising Stars' is truly the catalyst for a successful career in the music business. The competition has really been a learning experience for me and I will be forever grateful for everything that I have learnt while being a part of the show.

And finally, thank you Jamaica for making my dream a reality. I promise you that I will not stop here and I will continue to do my best with hopes that my talent will take me international. My aim is to be the best ambassador and role model that I can be.

To all females in Jamaica, respect yourself, believe in yourself and go after your goals. I am a true testament to the fact that dreams are attainable once you believe in yourself and never give up.

One love Jamaica, and expect lots of good and motivating music from me as I continue to make you proud in everything I do.

Thanks for making me your 2008 Digicel Rising Star.

Your girl,

Cameal Davis.