Sonsie X ready to show the world what diversity looks like
Poet, nurse and med student releasing sensual and serious album
Published:Tuesday | March 30, 2021 | 12:54 AMShereita Grizzle/Staff Reporter
In an interview with The Gleaner back in 2019, Jamaica-born dub poet Sonsie X revealed that although she is a Rasta at heart, she loves fashion and is absolutely OK with spitting verses of a raw, sensual nature. Still, her raunchy, sometimes erotic style does not limit her from speaking on social issues. In fact, the US-based entertainer, who is a nurse in her daytime job, considers herself an intellect and is ready to show the world what diversity looks like. Sonsie X said her goal for 2021, and onwards, is to bridge the gap between academics and the performing arts.
“People need to understand that you can be sexy because sex does sell, but at the same time, it’s OK to be an intellectual and pursue art. As artistes, we are capable of entertaining without always having to get naked. I wanted to show people that I am a Jamaican woman, and versatility is something that comes easy to me,” she said.
Refusing to be put in a box, Sonsie X says she is multifaceted. She added: “I can dance, I can [expletive], but I can also read, write, draw blood, and be in surgery. I can be anything I wanna be, and nobody can stop me or is allowed to box me into one area. I will not be limited.”
Having successfully doubled as dub-poet and nurse for well over a decade, Sonsie X says she wants to be a testament to not having to choose one or the other. She said that there was a point in her life when she was made to feel like doing both was impossible. She said societal labels glamorised work in the medical field and downplayed the importance of the work of entertainers.
“There are a lot of intellectuals out there who are very talented and could have been doing music or poetry or dancing but didn’t because of labels and limitations. I wanna be the bridge. I wanna be the one to show them that you don’t have to be either-or. You can do it all,” she said.
There is no limit to what this dub poet and nurse can do. She’s still very serious about her career as an entertainer but is also pursing medicine further and has her sights set on becoming a doctor.
“I am not even singing. I am doing poetry. That alone should show that you can do anything, and your talent should not be pushed aside to suit anyone. I wanna show young people in Jamaica (and the rest of the world) that you can be a sexy, beautiful, and a solid artiste, but you can also be in your scrubs at the same time. Both are OK, and both are acceptable. I am now going to school because I wanna be a doctor. I have a year and a half left before I can go to medical school, and I am as serious about my career as an entertainer now than ever,” she told The Gleaner.
With that said, Sonsie X revealed that she is getting ready to release her début album, Namaste. The compilation is expected to drop in May for Mother’s Day. The album will be released on all digital platforms as well as vinyl and will have twelve tracks. The poet says that she decided on vinyl because she wanted to give the work an authentic, vintage vibe. She noted that side A would showcase her more sensual side, and side B would explore serious issues affecting people today. “The Namaste album is a mixed collection of songs. Some will make you [excited], some will make you cry, and some will make you wanna stand in front of a police station with placards. It’s all of my personalities in one. I am sexy, I am in tune with my sexuality, but I am also capable of addressing serious issues that impact society,” she said.