Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
I come from a little big island some people call “Jam Rock”! Most know it as the island of
Jamaica. I was born and raised in a little ghetto town in the parish of Clarendon, called Halse Hall. Raised by my Grandparents Hazel & Lloyd Russell who had us singing in the church choir from a very young age. The choir is where I got introduced to singing and music. My grandmother encouraged and pushed us into singing, at first it was a very nerve wracking experience for me whenever I got called on to do solo’s. I was very shy and not confident at the early stages of my singing but the more I did it and saw the audience reactions I realized and discovered how much I actually loved it and inevitably fell in love with singing & all things music. Long story short, after my grandmother passed I then migrated to Toronto Canada to live with my mother and younger siblings, where I joined my mom’s church and continued singing in the choir. Started a girls group called “Sisters in Christ” Then I became intrigued and inspired by people like Jully Black who was pursuing music and doing it successfully as a career. She gave me the confidence to see that, if she can do it I can do it too professionally and go after my dream to become an artist full time. I was attending Seneca College at that time studying Travel & Tourism to become a flight attendant. I decided to drop the course and pursue my music full time against my family’s wishes. They thought music was a pipe dream. For me though I didn’t want to continue on a path where I would be starving my soul to feed my pocket so I made up my mind to go full force on my soul path of creating music to heal, inspire and uplift others, trusting that in doing so financially I would be ok, and it would all pay off, and the rest is history.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
In terms of formal training or being self taught, I would say the latter. I did sing in the choir growing up, so that was my training and I did very little vocal training because in those times we couldn’t really afford it. My grandmother did pay for a couple lessons at one point but most of my training was me singing along with songs I would hear on the radio or the sound systems playing in the streets in Jamaica and also of course singing in the choir where I learned harmonies and melodies and so forth.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
My most strongest musical influences growing up were and still today are Bob Marley, Sade, Grace Jones and The Clark Sisters. Bob Marley and Sade are my number 1 & 2!
Q: You were recently nominated for the 2024 JUNO Award for Reggae Recording of The Year for your song, “Stir This Thing”. How does it feel to be nominated for this award?
How it feels to be nominated for my 7th Juno Award is humbled and honored. It truly still gets exciting and exhilarating to be recognized and acknowledged by our version of the Grammy awards. The Juno’s is the highest accolade & achievement in music you can receive in Canada, so coming from my humble beginnings and being in a space where I am recognized in this way is a huge accomplishment and achievement and so I am very thankful and grateful!
Q: Is there a story behind the single, ‘Stir This Thing’?
The Story behind Stir This Thing is a song about shifting and stirring things up in a relationship or situation that’s been laying stagnant and dormant for a long time. The intent is to encourage movement and stirring so that the relationship or situation can get back into a flow where things can come alive, fulfilling and satisfying again. It’s also a subtle ode to my major musical influence Bob Marley’s Stir It Up.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
You can absolutely expect a new album coming from me in the near future for sure as I am currently writing and recording my new body of work, my new baby “The Shift” releasing this fall September. Stir This Thing is the first single release off the new album so please stay tuned for more conscious music coming out! I’m super excited about this one and I feel it’s my best work yet.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
The key elements in my music and how I would describe my sound is multidimensional. The structure and process I work with is including and infusing all these different genres and sounds with reggae to create my own unique sound and music. I love music of all the different genres and sounds and so I never want to ever put myself in a box. So I call myself a Reggae – Fusion artist. I blend reggae with RnB, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, Funk, House, Electronic and AfroBeats to create a colorful canvas with the intent to appeal to everyone and anyone from across all ages and borders of the world who are open minded and conscious. My music is all inclusive if you will, it’s for everyone.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
Oh absolutely my music gives me back more than I could have ever dreamt or expected. I get to do what I love and music carries me around the world where I get to connect with like minded people from different cultures and backgrounds on our planet. It’s a great teaching tool for me. It’s a healer and it connects me to my HigherSelf and the Divine Creator and also humanity. It’s such a gift, and it just keeps on giving all around. Music fills me with new unique surprises and experiences at every turn. It has given my life purpose and fulfillment and it’s more than I could have ever dreamed. It’s made me a better human and Lightworker in every way and for that I’m eternally grateful for this gift from the Creator that I get to share with my SoulRebelz/LightFamily around the world.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
How I go about my creative processes change depending on the environment and energy of the moment. I love to be in the flow so I don’t ever try and force myself when I’m not feeling it. When I do feel the creative juices and energy coming on, I open and relax then allow it to drive and steer me to where I need to go. I write about what I’m experiencing, seeing, hearing and witnessing in and around me. Nature is a great creative tool to get me grounded and connected. The water element and being out in nature is a huge influence in getting me inspired. I’ll hear inner intuitive nudges of melodies and lyrics for ideas to sing or write about. And I’ll write these ideas down in my song books or on my voice notes on my phone. Sometimes ideas come in my dreams while I’m sleeping and I’ll wake up and write or record these down on my phone. I get ideas from listening to other music, when I’m reading a good book, watching a movie or just sitting in stillness. A lot of times I’ll get beats from my producers and I’ll set my intent to allow my Spirit Guides to guide me with the ideas that are appropriate for the time and then it just starts flowing out of me on to the paper and songs are born that way. So my process is ever changing and teaching me to stay open.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
The most difficult thing I have had to endure in my life & music career is staying resilient and focused when it comes to what I know is true for me. The music industry can be hard, treacherous and tough, it’s no joke. You can be swayed and led down paths that are not appropriate if you don’t know who you are and you don’t have a strong sense of self. It’s been for a long time a male dominated industry and my genre especially so fighting to get seen, heard and respected has been the most challenging for me. But I have developed and learned over the years that I’m my most valuable voice. I am my most important source to go to for validation, not anyone or anything outside of myself. My strong Spiritual foundation is my main source of support, guidance and strength that has helped to sustain me and keep me on track and on my divine soul path. One of the biggest lessons was learning to listen and follow my inner voice, my intuition and this is the reason for my success and overcoming the challenges I have had to endure along the way. It’s also very important to stay balanced in everything I do. Making appropriate time for quality quiet times to connect within and making sure my mental health and self care is a priority is vital, so my inner cup is always full. This way I can then give to self and then others appropriately.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
What I would consider a successful, proud and significant point in my life and music career so far is this moment, what I am experiencing right now. I am the most comfortable, confident and self assured I have ever been in my life. I know who I am, I know my worth, my value, what I stand for and what I want in my life. I know when to say yes and how valuable it is to say No to what doesn’t serve me. I get to get up and freely express myself doing what I love and what I know I was born to do everyday, and I have a team of supportive people, family and friends around me who I can trust and lean on who I know have my best interest at heart. I am happy and ever thankful and grateful for all the experiences I get to have and share in. So right now, is all of what you just asked of me, it’s this moment, it’s this time now that is the most successful and significant point. It’s my time now! It is divine and perfectly timed. Thank you!
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