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Leba takes the lead on solo career - A topsy-turvy musical quest opens singer’s eyes

Published:Sunday | February 2, 2020 | 12:00 AMStephanie Lyew - Gleaner Writer

Trotting the globe with her father Frederick Hibbert, or ‘Toots’, as many know him, this reggae-soul intoner learned some priceless lessons from behind microphones that were not always in the spotlight or centre stage.

“Lesson one: believe in yourself and stay grounded. Lesson two: People is people, don’t think you are bigger than the person next to you. Lesson three: You just have to be you and be true to that person because that is the only way you can live your life. And lesson four: Don’t easily be led on by people or circumstances; you take the lead,” Leba Hibbert Thomas told The Sunday Gleaner.

She could not have possibly known what her father was preparing her for. Leba said from the first time she witnessed her father on the stage and the impact his performance had on the audience, the future was clear. She wanted to chase the dream of becoming a professional singer.

“The joy – the medley of expressions – was like a force I could not resist,” she said.

But before she took centre stage, Leba spent many years learning, living and refining her emotionally rich vocals and performance style singing in the background. She did not do it alone; her sisters Jenieve and Melanie (forming the group LJM) were part of the quest for enlightenment.

Leba shared: “Our musical mission pointed us in the direction of Sonic Sounds in Cross Roads, and then we recorded with Sly and Robbie.”

The track, titled Ooo La La La, was a popular 1988 reggae cover of Teena Marie’s hit, and had ladies singing from start, “Every time you come around, I feel my world starts turning topsy-turvy” and of course, the catchy lines of the chorus: “Ooo la la la, it’s the way that you feel when you know it’s real”.

However, after LJM’s first tour to England, Jenieve made the decision to seek a different path – gospel music. Leba and Melanie continued pushing forward; the sister-duo became known as 54/46, which linked them to their father, but even before supplying hard-to-ignore harmonies in the background for Toots and the Maytals, they did background vocals for the likes of Junior Tucker and Anthony B.

Melanie’s death in 1993 resulted in silence; Leba’s voice was quieted. Then she lost her husband Colin Thomas, who was murdered eight years later when the singer was four months pregnant. In laying her loves to rest, music became buried deeper, but she still served up supporting vocals for Toots and even had the opportunity to be an opening act for shows in the United States and United Kingdom where he headlined.

Healing process

About the healing process, Leba said: “I was led to stay in the shadows, again. For many years, I really was not satisfied. I loved singing and songwriting and wanted more of it, and that’s when the album and the title track, Intoxicated, was created between 2010 and 2011.”

She continued: “The reality is, I wasn’t living, just existing, and I had to pull myself out of that dark place and see. I wanted to create a legacy for my son like my father did for me and my siblings.”

That’s when the lessons of her father became clearer, said Leba.

She stopped performing backup in 2017 to concentrate on building herself so she could be mentally and vocally ready to step to the fore. Her most recent solo performance was on night two of the 27th staging of Rebel Salute two weeks ago, a stage she has performed on several times with Toots, but her first time as Leba. Her latest recording, No One on the Bam Bam Riddim, is progressing steadily and is expected to be on her upcoming EP.

“It was a good show and it was a great platform to showcase my talent, more so, because I have an EP coming out. I saw the need for people here to see me perform though few critics wanted to hear me do renditions of my father’s music,” she said.

“The music you will be hearing from me is a mixture of the genres, but it still comes back to my roots-rock-reggae which runs within my veins. What many people don’t know is, I get the high note from my mother but the style an’ ting from my father. I am working to release it; it is sultry and soulful – I would describe myself as that. When I sing I feel like I am baring my soul.”

stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com