Chyna Whyne Brings Home Music, Walking Technique

A career sprinkled with associations with world-renowned artistes, including the likes of Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, has left Chyna Whyne in good stead.

It's been quite an amazing journey for the British-born daughter of Jamaicans. And the journey is by no means over.

So when she breezed into Jamaica recently, it was a schedule packed with to-dos, and Entertainment Avenue was fortunate enough to get a hold of her as she finished a recording session at Barry O'Hare's studio at Jack Ruby Plaza in Ocho Rios. That session produced two tracks, Pick Up Your Feet and Dance, and Walking in Stilettos.

Chyna grew up singing in the church and then at school before launching out with her band.

"When I left school, I was blessed enough to meet very, very amazing people like Peter Gabriel from Genesis," she revealed. "I went and sang on his 1986 album, So, which is a Grammy-winning album. I actually sang on the track called Sledgehammer. I had my own live band at the time and Seal used to come to all of my gigs, and then he asked me to support him on a European tour with my band, which was fabulous. And then I started working with Bob Dylan and then I met with Eric Clapton. I did a one-year tour with Eric Clapton, all over America."

While the music was happening, Chyna was also into modelling. The rigours of constantly being in high heels took its toll on her and caused her to constantly seek remedy for back pains, and this led her to discover the Alexander Technique, a way to ease body tension, thus eliminating pain.

Chyna eventually took a long break to study and perfect what she now refers to as the walking in stiletto technique, and she now offers training in the art, along with the training of trainers to spread the technique.

"So I'm setting up my School of Excellence at Geddes Great House in Brittany, St Ann. We're doing a launch in July and we're running our first China Doll training course in October 2016. A China Doll is a walking stilettos ambassador, somebody that I have taught how to train other women how to walk in high heels. This China Doll that comes on board can buy into our franchise so that she now can take 'Walking in Stilettos' back to any part of the world, so we're about to expand globally."

Ultimately, though, Chyna was bound to return to her first love, music. And the two tracks she did in Ocho Rios signalled that. She has returned refreshed, retooled and ready to conquer.

"This is actually the time I'm coming into myself, so in a way, I'm a new artiste and this is how I'm presenting myself," she said.

The tracks recorded in Ocho Rios offer an insight into the capabilities of this singer because there must have been something that those great musicians saw in her.

Listening to Pick Up Your Feet and Dance, and Walking in Stilettos, it became quite evident that Chyna Whyne has got a lot more to offer the music industry.

She is quite confident that her new projects will do well, beginning with a collab with Elephant Man.

"At the moment, I have a tune out called Sexy Baal Ed, with Elephant Man, after that we have the Walking in Stilettos tune which is gonna mash up the place. This is for all our ladies that love stilettos, and there's a stiletto dance that goes with this tune. Then another hit called Pick Up Your Feet and Dance."

There is every reason to believe that dancing season is here for Chyna Whyne.