Brought up on a diet of reggae, gospel, and jazz, 21-year-old Ariana Stanberry finds herself blowing to the tune of those genres. The love for music runs through her veins, she says, and the energy is pumped into her alto saxophone. “Every person...
He is not called the ‘Armagideon Man’ and ‘Messenger Man’ of reggae, roots, and culture music for no reason. Jamaica-born Willie Williams answered his calling in the 1960s to be a voice of reckoning in music. Some of his successful tracks include...
Alpha Institute music students and their instructor are over the moon with the recent completion of their international exchange through the March for Music Education, which was launched in March 2019. The institution, which has been dedicated to...
Carnival in Jamaica’s annual road parade, originally scheduled for today, Sunday, April 19, may have been moved to Sunday, October 25, but its postponement does not stop organisers and supporters from celebrating the tradition. Physical distancing...
Musician, artiste and producer Craig Parks, more popularly known as Leftside, like many other entertainers, has been utilising the live-stream option on social media platforms more. “There are times things are available to us and we take it for...
Ian Hutton is moved to tears every time he sees Gevanni, his 17-year-old son, sing a tune, and now that the he has made it on to one of the biggest televised talent platforms in Britain, The Voice UK, the emotions are heightened. “It is because I...
As officials work to contain the virus that the World Health Organization has labelled a global public-health emergency, anti-Chinese and discriminatory messages have continued unabated. COVID-19 and news surrounding its outbreak have sparked...
Female singers in Jamaica’s reggae-dancehall sphere like Queen Ifrica, Yeza Rebel, Jah9, and Etana have embodied their African heritage by embracing the kaleidoscopic patterns of the world’s second-largest continent – explicit in their style and...
As of last Friday afternoon, the state of New York had 421 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. This news follows the declaration of the state of emergency by its mayor, Bill de Blasio. There were also directives that gatherings of more than 500...
It’s not the unrestrained bellows that make one want to hold their ears and scream, “Shut up yuh mouth, nuh!” Instead, Chris Malachi’s buttery, ‘soul-stirring’ voice and powerful lyrics in BAWL send a message that listeners will be forced to play...
Women’s rights and gender equality are taking centre stage today, as the world unites in recognition of International Women’s Day. The official theme, ‘I am Generation Equality – Realising Women’s Rights’, which is aligned with the United Nations...
“She’s a dancehall queen for life, gonna explode like dynamite … ” are the familiar lyrics of the 1997 Beenie Man and Chevelle Franklyn collaboration Dancehall Queen, inspired by females untrammelled by conventional stereotypes of society – bold...
With the introduction of digital music in the mid-1990s, consumption became increasingly popular as more and more persons were able to discover new music from across the world. The developments in sharing and streaming music impacted the way...
Historically, the music industry has challenged its players to be competitive, forcing hopefuls to put in the extra legwork to get discovered and keep their music firmly planted at the top. Toronto-born singer Chelsea Stewart is a new-wave talent...
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, who was instrumental in having the then National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS), currently the Recording Academy, establish the reggae category in 1985, believes it...
Within the last decade, gospel music has appeared to break free of barriers with regard to the style and space in which it is presented so much so that the vessels of praise and worship, the recording artistes, are being invited to larger platforms...
In dancehall music, sex appeal sells, and female artistes have been known to use it as a strong marketing tool. Producers and fans alike tend to be more attracted to the women with greater sex appeal and sometimes can eliminate the older women, who...
If the walls of Studio One could talk, the stories of some of Jamaica’s greatest musicians and recording artistes to emerge throughout the 1950s to 1970s would surely come to light – as vivid as the one that illuminated the mural that was unveiled...
The local music scene and social media quickly became abuzz last November after it was announced that reggae newcomer Koffee had been one of the nominees of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards. She created history by becoming the youngest solo act to be...
An Internet search may not be the fastest medium to find on-the-up entertainer Siobhan (pronounced Sho-van). Even with a unique name like hers, which is of Irish origin, a Google search would first present musicians from Ireland like one of the...
The phone rings, and a sleepy-sounding Shadz, wondering who could be calling her at 10 a.m., answers. Shadz: “Hello.” Caller: “Hey, you in town?” Shadz: “No, I am home in St Mary.” Caller: “How quickly can you get there?” Shadz: “In two hours...
Phillip Supersad is not afraid to share his secrets to drum-building. “See, I am already here sharing my methods down to the very measurements with you,” the known drum-maker and ceramist said humorously to The Sunday Gleaner. Super, as he is...
With a small catalogue in rotation on the radio, Ras Ajai is steadily rising through the ranks. He devoted the formative years – approximately a decade – of his career to learning from celebrated musician Dean Fraser and the Black Soil Band. When...
In the blink of an eye, another year has flowed on – swift like a wave that washes the shore; with it, building and breaking up the coastline. Similarly, Jamaica’s entertainment industry has seen the constructive and destructive nature of the waves...
Most children look forward to the holidays to get a break from the day-to-day tasks of preparing for school and mandatory completion of assignments, but for Tashae Silvera, she is putting in more work to secure her future career. From her guest...
