So big tings a gwan for islandistas all over the world right now and we're feeling great about it!Jamaican singer Etana (one of our favourite new artistes on the scene right now - just a really refreshing and positive change) has hit the top of the Choice FM reggae charts in the United Kingdom, with Blessings, her collaboration with Italian-born reggae artiste Alborosie. Choice FM is one of the biggest urban (read black) radio stations in the United Kingdom so that is a major achievement. Well done!
In other successes - Miss Barbados World, Natalie Griffith, has won the prize for best talent at the Miss World contest which is presently going on in South Africa. By winning, she goes straight into the semi-finals.And in a wee bit of suss, Nicole Scherzinger, girlfriend of F1 champ Lewis Hamilton, has revealed that he is a bit of the jealous type, especially when it comes to the racy (hee hee) outfits she wears for her performances as lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls.‘He says he wishes the outfits were for his eyes only,’ said the singer.Ohhh Lewis! No need to be jealous. After all, who is really going to hold a candle to a sexy Formula one champion worth a bajillion dollars?
Well, guess who's the Formula One champion in just his second season? Not to mention the youngest Formula One champion ever? Oh, and the first black Formula One champion?Our own super-speedy, uber-sexy islandisto, Grenadian-descended Lewis Hamilton!
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He clinched the title yesterday in a most dramatic fashion at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Needing to place at least 5th to claim the title, he was behind for much of the race, in 6th position and on a wet track.But Toyota's Timo Glock who was in fourth place, started to fall back as his team failed to call him in to change to wet tyres. Hamilton eased past him in the penultimate corner and managed to hold on to fifth place - and the title."I’m very emotional, I’ve cried,” Hamilton said. “My heart’s feeling so much strain right now. I think first and foremost of my family and then I thank God because he was with me all year as he always is.” That family of course, includes his father Anthony Hamilton, born to Grenadian parents who moved to the UK in the 1950s. Lewis lived with his father since he was 12 years old and his dad has put everything into Lewis' career, even taking on as many as three jobs at a time to support Lewis when he was a young go-karter.Despite the fact that he is actually a third-generation Grenadian, Lewis stays close to his island roots, visiting the island regularly to see his grandparents who moved back home, investing in land in the island and even dating Miss Grenada Universe.From us here at Islandista, we say congrats Lewis! Keep making the region proud.
Ever since hot Formula One racer and part-Grenadian islandisto Lewis Hamilton broke up with his long-time girlfriend a year ago he has been seen out with a slew of gorgeous women - as well we would expect from a young man who has ... well, everything! Good looks, tons of money (apparently made 10 million GBP last year), an exploding career, good looks...Interestingly enough, Lewis is quite close to his Grenadian family and visits the island often to see his grandfather who returned to his native island after moving to Britain in the 1950s like many other West Indians. Perhaps this close connection to the islands influenced his choice of partner as he has been seen out with various islandistas.First he turned heads with Miss Grenada World 2007, Vivian Burkhardt who accompanied him to no less an event than the premiere of Indiana Jones at the Cannes Film Festival last month. Burkhardt is a student at St. Georges University in Grenada.
(photo credit: Reuters and Big Pictures Photo via Daily Mail.co.uk )He was also seen out and about with our favourite "brings a whole new meaning to fierce" supermodel islandista Naomi a few months ago and caught up with her again recently at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday party in London a few days ago.
The most recent woman on his arm though, has been Pussycat Dolls lead singer (and Pacific Ocean islandista) Nicole Scherzinger who was the one who actually accompanied him to Mandela's birthday do. 
(photo credit: WENN, Marsland/Hogan/Wireimage via YBF.com)It would have been nice though if she actually wore a whole shirt to a dignified event honouring the 90th birthday of a living legend ... a little broughtupcy would be nice... I think he should have stuck to Miss Grenada whose Cannes outfit was great. As people say in cricket, class is class, form is only temporary!
