She is a video director, television personality, artiste manager, publicist, writer, producer and mother. If ever there was a ‘Jane of all trades’ it would be Sasha-gay Roache.
Known professionally as Sasha Bling, she got her break in the entertainment industry as the host of the FIWI Choice Top 10 Chart TV show’s ‘gossip girl’, but always had big dreams of one day becoming one of Jamaica’s most sought-after content creators. She studied video directing at the Media Institute of Technology and had hopes of one day establishing herself in that field. But, with so much more talent buried within her, coupled with the willpower to transform herself into ‘Miss Miscellaneous’ – someone who could do any task handed to her – Bling has become everything she aspired to be, and then some.
In today’s edition of Five Questions With, we delved deeper into the life and story of this multifaceted, multitalented woman.
1. How did you get started in video directing?
As you know, I was the ‘scoop girl’, Sasha Bling, but I always wanted to move from that. I went to school for production, and so I always knew that I wanted to work with cameras. I knew I never wanted to be on camera per se, but I ended up there. While on camera, though, I realised that ‘eh-eh’, this is not my style. I need to be telling people what to do and how to do it, and so I started in 2012 with a group of guys I worked with at FIWI Choice as The Board, but then I felt like this was a journey I needed to undertake on my own. I knew the direction I wanted to go creativity-wise, and so I just decided to do it by myself.
How I really got my [start] was through I-Octane. Him did just swear from him meet mi say I was way too talented to just be a TV girl. I remember someone cancelled on him when he was to shoot his Happy Time video, and he called and asked me to do it. The rest, as they say, is history. I did Happy Time in 2012, and it was Video of the Year at the Youth View Awards (YVAs), and everything kinda just fell into place from there.
2. Tell me about the genesis of your company BlingBlang Works, and how that has grown since 2012.
Well, BlingBlang Works is actually exactly how the name sounds. It’s not just me doing video directing; it’s me covering every aspect of the industry. I started out with TV; I do artiste management, I write, I produce, the whole works. Right now, BlingBlang Works is based locally and internationally. I have two teams, and so I have grown and can definitely see my returns. Over the years, I have put my all into producing quality content, and so now people know my work. I have a reputation in the game now. Before, I used to beg people to just make mi do one thing and show dem, and dem used to tell me, ‘Sasha, stick to your TV thing, babes’, and I would keep getting the ‘NOs’. Nobody really gave me the shot until Octane.
3. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I survived being raped. I never used it as an excuse to give up on myself. It happened as a teen, and I never really talked about it much. I’m sure, after this, everyone is going to be asking, ‘What happened’, etc, but I just feel like it’s time to confront it. I would never even mention it in the past, but I just wanna show that you can grow from everything you go through, even the bad stuff. You [legitimately] don’t have to be a victim or slave to anything.
4. You are mostly based overseas. What do you miss about Jamaica when you are not here?
Hellshire and mangoes (smiles).
5. Where is your favourite island chill spot?
In the MegaMart parking lot (laughs). I love to go there to chill with my friends and just write (at 3 a.m.).