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ETANA

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FEATURED SONG
I Got You
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I Got You
Released: Feb 8, 2011
Label: VP Records
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    I Got You

    3:39

    5,768 plays
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    PEOPLE TALK

    4:43

    9,786 plays
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    Happy Heart

    3:55

    14,879 plays
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    Free

    3:53

    19,767 plays
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    August Town

    3:58

    8,714 plays

General Info

  • Genre: Reggae

    Location Miami, FL, Un

    Profile Views: 711187

    Last Login: 5/14/2013

    Member Since 1/31/2007

    Website www.etanathestrongone.com

    Record Label Freemind Music/VP Records

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Once in a great while, the world is afforded with a powerful, soulful and unique voice of the people. The ever-so-talented songstress Etana "The Strong One" has emerged as this entity, representing one of Reggae music's newest faces. Boasting a flawless soul-soaked voice, in just a few years, Etana has captivated and inspired legions of die hard fans. In addition to wooing listeners with her rich honey-laced vocals, Etana also proudly dons the hat of songwriter. The singer has boldly struck a chord with the masses, winning the hearts of people one song at a time. Etana's craft of developing Reggae music masterpieces spans beyond just a means of entertainment. Consistently, Etana addresses pressing issues in her music. And just like the "The Strong One" translation of her name, Etana's messages are a force to be reckoned with. Crooning of oppression and injustices against all people, Etana never fails to motivate and inspire her audience. Although Etana's music is often billed as "Roots Reggae," her style undeniably transcends music genre and is also infused with hints of Jazz and R&B. .... Born Shauna McKenzie in August Town, Jamaica, Etana shined as the only girl amongst a mostly male family. From early on, Etana thrived for making music. Attending school in Jamaica until roughly 1992 and moving to Florida, education was always of great importance to the songstress. While attending college to pursue a Nursing Degree, "The Strong One's" passion for music peaked. She was especially interested in an innovative blend of music genre that she grew up on. Etana credits a wealth of artists for influencing her love of music, ranging from Reggae stars Bob Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Sizzla Kalongi to R&B crooners like Whitney Houston, Lauren Hill and Jill Scott, among others. .... Before her solo debut, Etana took on many gigs. She landed a slot in the girl group "GIFT," which was a brainchild of Universal Records. As fate had it, Etana did not enjoy dressing in provocative attire to fit the direction of the "GIFT" or better yet every girl group in the new millenium. And because of this, after putting in a little time, Etana walked away from music completely and returned to Jamaica to open a business. .... Music was still Etana's calling, she landed a stint as a backup singer for Richie Spice in 2005. . After mesmerizing the Fifth Element crew with her explosive vocals, what started as providing background on a single show in Los Angeles, propelled Etana with an opportunity of performing with the artist for 1 steady year. As things progressed, each time Etana looked up, a ticket to travel with Spice awaited her. .... Etana thoroughly enjoyed her time on tour with Richie Spice. "I really loved the energy of Richie and the band," says Etana. Fatefully, Etana started to create a buzz as a background vocalist -- so much so that 5th Element management encouraged Etana to make a solo record. It took a while but eventually Etana recorded two songs: "Time" and "Wrong Address." .... Etana's quest as a solo artist crafting positive music was fueled by a young girl who recited lyrics from one of her more racy songs. Embarrassed by this, Etana firmly believed that if she could sing a song with lood lyrics, she could utilize that very same energy to create music to uplift, educate and strengthen. From that point on, Etana embarked as a solo artist -- determined to make music her way. She has never looked back. .... "Wrong Address" was the song that formally introduced Etana to the massive in 2006. That year, the groundbreaking single thrust Etana into the radar of the mostly dancehall Reggae music arena. "Wrong Address," a thought-evoking and spirited single, brought a riveting fusion of Jazz and Reggae to the airwaves. The song received an overwhelming reception from Reggae music fans – resulting in heavy radio rotation in Jamaica and through out the Caribbean. Notably, "Wrong Address" peaked at 1 on a number of Reggae music charts. .... Basking in the success of this first single, Etana delivered another major hit, "Roots." The powerful hook "You can't water down and dilute" catapulted "Roots" to instant popularity. Truly, "Roots" became an anthem among Reggae music fans. With impeccable influences of African music, foundation Reggae and eloquent Jamaican patois, Etana had another gem on her hands. The videos for these first singles were also received well. Etana continued to exceed expectations with her music releases. Songs like "Warrior Love," "I am not Afraid," "Blessings" (ft. Alborosie), "Free" and countless others are just a snippet of Etana's catalogue, which has steadily strengthened her position in Reggae music. .... Driven for success, Etana took pride in delivering groundbreaking Reggae music. Her musical efforts were centralized on her 2008 smash debut album and namesake "The Strong One" on VP Records. With loads of dynamic music, fans and critics adored "The Strong One" so much that the album and Etana took home numerous coveted awards over the past couple of years. In 2009 alone, Etana copped the "Album of the Year" award at the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) in New York for her debut effort and at the Excellence in Music and Entertainment Awards (EMA), among numerous other accolades. .... Etana has been afforded with extensive visibility in 2009, performing in locales throughout the world, including an impressive performance at the Johannesburg 2009 Arts Alive Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. Notably, for this performance, the soulful songstress was handpicked by the governments of Jamaica and South Africa. Other milestones include unforgettable sets at several high profile music festivals like Reggae Sumfest, Irie Jamboree and the Soul Beach Music Festival in Aruba – where Etana shared the stage with the likes of Jamie Foxx, Common and Robin Thicke. Clearly, this performance exposed Etana's music to a diverse audience. .... Etana's latest single "August Town" is being heralded by fans as a great, thought provoking song. Like many of Etana's efforts, "August Town" tells of a real-life, recent situation that occurred in her community. "August Town" will be featured on her new album set to be launched on November 9th. Other tracks confirmed for her highly anticipated sophomore effort include "Free" and "Happy Heart". Presently all three tracks are concurrently burning up the airwaves and music charts. One can expect great things from Etana with her new album set to launch later this year. Her world tour kicks off in mid October. The tour starts in Europe as her exclusive agent for that territory, Pride music international merges forces with her existing management team. Her team consists of renowned music events promoter Junior "Heavy-D" Fraser, Connect PR in addition to Free Mind Music. Etana desires to formalize her youth involvement in the future with a youth-driven foundation centered on the themes of education and empowerment.

  • Members

    BOOKINGS CONTACT US: FREEMIND.MUSIC1@GMAIL.COM 1(954)348-1719 / 1(876)364-8941

  • Influences

    MEDIA / PRESS CONTACT US: keona777@gmail.com (267)760-0021

  • Sounds Like

    www.facebook.com/oneetana www.reverbnation.com/etana www.youtube.com/Etanathestrongone www.twitter.com/etanastrongone

Stream

  1. ETANA

    "@ToniToneTonz: @EtanaStrongOne hello 👋 long time no hail" < hail 

  2. ETANA

    "@KebrinaKrystal: @etanastrongone Yes, especially when you're a strong-willed, intelligent female. Most men can't deal with that!" <smh

  3. ETANA

    One of the hardest battle as a female is to get through the brick wall of a ego that men walk talk sleep eat and breathe with.

  4. ETANA

    "@Linn_M21: I can't believe i left it so long, but i just bought @EtanaStrongOne latest album and loving it!" <

  5. ETANA

    "@IamBella_Love: @EtanaStrongOne IS HE EPITOME OF A BEAUTIFUL, STRONG, PROUD BLACK WOMAN! LOVE HER TO BITS!" <

Comments

Post a comment...
  • ETANA

    ALL MOTHERS HAVE A HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.  LOADS A LOVE SHARING AND SMILES.  STAY STRONG. 

    1 year ago
  • ♦ Jewelz ♦

       

    1 year ago
  • Some

    www.somebizzare.com
    Some Bizzare Label Some Bizarre Records
    http://www.myspace.com/somebizzare.somebizarre1
    http://www.myspace.com/somebizzare

    1 year ago
  • Ibrahim Idris

     sending love,blesses

    1 year ago
  • Ibrahim Idris

      love&respect   

    1 year ago
  • Jah Rootman

     Hi there, I'm JahRootman from China mainland GUILIN. I'm working on roots-music(most of my songs are in dub style). 
    After playing music with computer and controllers all these years, i was tired of this lonely way. No band, no partner. 
    Jah told me ONE LOVE ONE WORLD. I'm not afraid to say that i need SOS from JAH wild-world. I want everybody together. 
    So, if you have any interest in my music, I'm so willing to have cooperate-work with you. And we can exchange our experience of making music.
    my music here--
    http://www.myspace.com/jah_rootman ;

    2 years ago
  • LMG-Lindo Media Group

    Hi...on August 6 2011 I am doing a car show, drag racing and Reggae/Reggaeton Concert at the Central Florida Racing Complex located at 10699 Cosmonaut Blvd. Orlando Fl 32825.

    I would like to personally invite you
    to come and enjoy the thrill of motorsports and reggae music.
    Bring your friends and come have a wonderful time as we celebrate Jamaican Independence, Encourage "no street racing" and bring people together through the power of music.

    There will be Cash Prizes, Trophies, Vendors and more..
    Contact me for tickets, sponsorship or if you just need directions
    visit  www.viddyms.com .

    2 years ago
  • John Myhrvold

    Lovely Lady, Thank you so very much for being my friend. Johny M. XO XO XO Much Love for you. 

    2 years ago
  • Meet JAH

    Meet JAH Thanks for your Vibes..............RastafarI guidance and protection! Check our space on http://www.myspace.com/meet.jah Meet JAH...............BlessedlovE

    2 years ago
  • simplemente, Maria

    Blessings,
    I wanted to say to you and the great team of musicians and producers you have with you,that my husband bought me your second album for my birthday (I already had the first one) and hardly any other cd gets played!!
    You are a true empress, sharing your light with others, thank you : )

    2 years ago
10 of 3134More

Bio & Music Videos



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Etana rose to prominence in 2006 with an inimitable musical style that resists categorization. Hitting all the right notes on her breakthrough song “Wrong Address”, an emotive lament reflecting the lack of employment prospects for Jamaicans living in violence-plagued communities, she brilliantly fused acoustic folk strands with roots reggae cadences and strains of neo soul influences. “Wrong Address” was duly rewarded with heavy radio rotation, reaching the number 1 position on several Jamaican charts. Etana, whose name means “the strong one”, followed that auspicious introductory single with a bold romantic declaration “Warrior Love”, juxtaposing acoustic rhythms with African-styled choral chants, and “Roots”, blending traditional African drum beats with exuberant soul underpinnings as she cautions the youths to hold on to their culture. Etana’s genre-blurring appeal reached a wider international audience with the June 2008 release of her critically lauded debut album “The Strong One” on VP Records, which included a lovers’ rock duet with Italian reggae artist Alborosie “Blessing”; a one-drop Rastafarian anthem “Jah Chariot” and her poignantly sung, unwavering declaration of self-assurance “I Am Not Afraid”.

Because she adamantly refuses to be constrained by approach or lyrical content, Etana has named her sophomore VP release “Free Expressions”. “This album was produced a little differently from the first, most of the sessions were less planned so there is more of a free vibe,” she explained. “I just wanted to express myself freely, write just what I want without thinking too hard about what anyone’s opinion would be, just doing music as I feel to do it.”

A mesmerizing performer whose vocals are as culturally defining as South Africa’s Miriam Makeba or Jamaica’s Marcia Griffiths and as dynamic as classic Whitney Houston, “Free Expressions” furthers Etana’s reputation as a skillful songwriter: she penned 12 of the album’s 14 tracks and their lyrical sophistication, coupled with her dramatic deliveries, destroys any notion of the dreaded sophomore curse. “I feel more confident as a writer now than a few years back,” she shares, “because I am less concerned about what people think about certain subjects, and certain points of view. I have learned that I can’t please everybody and for the most part, people are very happy with what they have been hearing.”

Indeed, people are so consistently enthralled by Etana ‘s music that several of “Free Expressions’” songs have already topped the charts in Jamaica and reggae charts internationally. “August Town” was written in 2009 about an unwarranted police shooting on a community gathering in the area of Kingston where she was born and lived until quite recently. London based producer Curtis Lynch Jr. heightens Etana’s impassioned account of that tragedy with dub- influenced reverbs and soul shaking bass lines. “Free”, produced by Kemar “Flava” McGregor, offers a somber reflection of a prolonged period of struggle endured by the artist. “While recording that song I had to go outside and catch my breath, then come back and do it again,” Etana shares. “It brought me to tears. I wrote it when I was going through one of the toughest times in my life and I felt like it wouldn’t end.”

Many years ago Etana recognized the power of music and its pervasive influence upon impressionable youngsters, a realization that prompted a seismic shift in her career trajectory. “I did not choose music, it chose me and for a real serious reason,” says the singer who was born Shauna McKenzie. “When I look at how women are being represented in Jamaican music and how little girls are thinking that is the way it is supposed to be, I want to be a positive influence and change some of the things they are taught...read more

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