From gospel to reggae - Kristine Alicia continues musical journey
Published:Wednesday | November 21, 2018 | 12:00 AMSade Gardner
Whether she is doing gospel or reggae, singer Kristine Alicia says her message is the same. The Florida-based singer, born Kristine McCaw, started her solo career in 2007 as a gospel artiste, when she released her debut album Get Ready. Eleven years later, she is promoting her latest project, Songs from Zion, as a reggae artiste.
"You can call it a transition, but the message is still the same," Kristine Alicia told The Sunday Gleaner. "I was doing gospel for a long time, and I didn't want that label 'gospel' anymore."
Songs From Zion is produced by Rory Gilligan, widely known as Rory StoneLove, and was released in February last year. The album features 11 tracks, including Zion, Key Lock, and Come Home Natty.
She said that her transition, she started expanding her horizon by working with other producers, which led her to Gilligan in 2015.
"A lot of things started happening after that. I started finding myself and understanding life, and having God guide me along the way made it possible for us to create Songs from Zion."
COCOA TEA INFLUENCE
In addition to the support she has received from the producer, her music has also got the attention of veteran singer Cocoa Tea. In his set at the recent A St Mary Mi Come From event held at the National Arena in Kingston, Cocoa Tea invited Kristine on stage to perform her groovy track, Roll It.
"I met him months ago when I was doing some dubs at a studio. He was there and heard me and wanted to hear my music," she revealed. "The performance was a spontaneous thing; we didn't even have rehearsals. I told him I'd be in Jamaica, and that's how it came about."
Kristine Alicia was raised in Kingston and attended the Covenant Christian Academy before migrating to the United States as a teenager. Her interest in music deepened while studying communications at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma, and she started singing backup for artistes like Papa Sam. Now, as a solo act, she hopes to share her experiences with the world through her music.
"I feel like everybody has a spot in reggae to say what they want to say. That is unique, and I feel I have been blessed with an opportunity to express that. As to where that will take me, I honestly don't know, but I feel if God gives you an opportunity, you take it and see where it takes you."