Album Review
Genre: New Roots
Format: CD Album
Reviewer: Henrik Bæk
Added: Fri, Aug 15, 2008
Etana ››
Strong One
Women in reggae business are almost as rare as snow in Jamaica! Still some women have made impact. Names like Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Sister Carol, J.C. Lodge, Deborah Glasgow, Lady G, Lady Saw and Tanya Stephens are all good examples on women capable of making it to the top and the latest one seems to be able to make the ladies company. Her name is Etana, which is the swahili word for the strong one.
Born in August Town, Jamaica, her family migrated to the USA at a tender age, where they settled in Miami. She was studying to become a registred nurse, but got so passionate about music, that she decided to stop her study in order to pursue a music carrier. After some years of success in pop music she decided to stop, because she didn’t want to compromise with her ideals as a female artist. She moved back to Jamaica, where she soon teamed up with Richie Spice and 5th Element. It was under their wings, she got a hit in 2006 with the single Wrong Address. With it’s cool blend of jazz and reggae Wrong Address showed a singer not afraid of breaking the boundaries for women in a male dominated reggae business.
Last autumn she got her final breakthrough with Roots, and not long ago she got a third hit with the beautiful Warrior Love. All three songs can be heard on her debut album The Strong One, which compiles a unique musical blend of reggae, jazz and folk. The 15 tracks are produced by Dean Fraser, Robert Livingstone and Carl James and the Italian singjay Alborosie is featured on Jah Blessings. Etana is Tracy Chapman inna reggae style, who in the 1990’s got the whole music worlds attention with her radical songs of revolution through peace and love. Etana is going in the same direction with The Strong One.
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