With an ever growing collection of prestigious music awards ranging from “Female Vocalist Of The Year 2007-2009” to “Most Admired Female Artist” Reggae singer/ songwriter Etana has struck a cord with the masses and like any beautiful melody she's winning the hearts of the people one song at a time.
Spirited in her approach to communicate unfitting and inspirational messages to the youth she's been described by critics as the truth, one who will bring about real change with her powerful and captivating voice that at times seems flawlessly pure. Rebellious in her approach to denote systematic oppression against all races Etana takes pride in being an artist, she feels strongly that her responsibility is to express positive vibrations in her music and from this she will gracefully admit to staying the course.
Born Shauna McKenzie Etana spent her youthful days playing in the hillside community of August Town situated in the South Eastern side of Jamaica. The only daughter of a fairly large family of boys she was as curious then as she is determined now doing the mischievous things most children tend to do at an early age.
Attending school locally up until 1992 when she migrated to the U.S to start a new life in the sunshine state of Miami Florida Etana was a budding achiever; she finished grade school and eventually went off to college the year after with plans of becoming a Registered Nurse.
During her studies at Broward Community College Etana became extremely passionate about music, she was consumed with the joy of creating her own mix of the different genres she would attentively listen to in her earlier years. A hardened fan of Reggae, Pop, Hip Hop and Jazz Musicians she found inspiration in Whitney Houston, Lauren Hill, Jill Scott, Sizzla Kalongi, Marcia Griffiths and the legend Bob Marley all of who eventually gave the then academic the will to explore a new and potentially more suited career in Music.
In 2000 after making a tuff decision to prematurely exit college Etana attempted a shot at stardom when she joined a girl group by the name "GIFT" which was being courted by Universal Records. Sexy, Reviling and conforming to the industry stereotype of how a woman should dress Etana fell victim to her dreams of becoming a mainstream star. It wasn't her ideal fit but she complied to the record labels requests and gave in to her groups glamorous appeal until one day while on a video shoot for their lead single she could bear it no more walking away from the spotlights and returning to her place of birth Kingston, Jamaica to start fresh as an entrepreneur looking to grab a piece of the Cyber Market with an Internet Cafe.
Down but not out Etana still wanted to do music but only in her own way, she wanted to send a different message and portray a more eloquent look and this opportunity came in 2005 when a friend brought her to Fifth Element who at the time was prospering from the strength of Richie Spice who was heavily booked for several American and European Tours.
Auditioning for a shot at becoming the backup vocalist for Spice Etana vocally floored his management team and was handed a plane ticket to do a few shows in the U.S. The ensuing fifteen months followed with the now permanent songstress soaking up valued experience as a stage performer with performance credits in Europe and North America.
Eager to make her own mark Etana boldly attempted a hit single one day while chilling with the guitar player and Percussionist from Richie Spice's band. The idea had been floating in her thoughts for weeks and like magic the melody for her debut smash single "Wrong Address" was born. Simple yet effective the single was a fusion of Jazz and Reggae, it was the first of its kind and in 2006 the song was rewarded with heavy radio rotations plunging it in the number 1 position of several local charts.
Describing her style back then Etana was quoted as saying "I do music straight from the heart, straight from the soul, straight from the people I see in everyday life" and so came about her second major hit Roots which was an intriguing mix of African and reggae cultural sounds fused with Jamaican Creole. The song became an anthem because of the definitive statement "You can't water down and dilute" featured in the chorus.
Video's for both songs helped bring Etana to the forefront of Reggae and during the summer and winter of 2007 she made her mark as a solo artist performing on international events like Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded, ATI Live Concert, Irie Jamboree, Welcome to Jamrock and Guinness Sting.
Picking up where she left off in 2007 Etana began 2008 with the same level of focus rocking the likes of an Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in late January so much so that patrons lashed the promoters for putting her on too early. A few well deserved awards in the bag Etana took home Best Female Vocalist at both the Excellence in Music & Entertainment (EME) Awards and the IRIE FM Radio Awards not to mention an award for Best Solo Female Reggae Vocalist copped at the 1st annual Reggae Academy Awards for which she had nominations in 3 separate categories. On June 17th Etana made history by releasing her debut album “The Strong One” which won the coveted “Album Of The Year” Award at the 2009 EME Awards.
As 2008 came to an end Etana continued to shine with big time performances at the Olympic Grand Gala for the Jamaican Beijing Athletes in October and the exclusive Reggaelution Concert in early December not to mention a one month U.S tour for the month of November. She also improved her online presences with a new fully dynamic website (www.etanastrongone.com) which she launched on New Years Day.
Currently promoting her new singles "Caltariba System", “Free” and "Blessings (ft. Alborosie)" Etana is boldly taking on the world of music with the help of her management team at Solid Agency. Owner of Free Mind Music / The Best Records Etana is poised to do Reggae proud.
MY DEAREST FRIEND AS THIS SUNDAY IS UPON US...WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS.................
IS IT PEACE................
IS IT GROWTH.............
IS IT CLEANSING...........
OR IS IT JUST LOVE.........................
WITHIN OUR MIND FLASHES MANY THOUGHTS BUT WITH LOVE IN THERE...WE WILL BE OKAY...
NAMASTE TO YOU MY SPECIAL SOUL
MAKEDA
A BLESSED EVENING MY FRIEND AS THE WORK WEEK END I PRAY THAT YOU WILL FIND A LITTLE TIME TO RELAX...
MANY TIME WE GIVE SO MUCH TO OTHERS BUT TO OURSELF WE LEAVE NOTHING.............
LET US THEN LEARN THAT WE ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE WHOLE OF THINGS...............
AND ONCE WE ARE HAPPY WITHIN WE CAN REFLECT THAT UNTO OTHERS.................
SO BLESSING THIS WEEKEND AND BE HAPPY...........XOXOXOXOXO
NAMASTE
MAKEDA
Thanks for the add my dear ETANA...please feel free to stop by and
network with my circle of highly creative friends ...blessings to you
and your household. ~ bren
Everything I Need 2 Be Everyting I Want 2 Be Alwayz Haz Been, Already Inside of Me! 2 Be what I Want 2 Be, I Simply Must 'Be' What I Want 2 Be. I Am today, What I said I would Be Yesturday And Today iz All Dat MatterZ no matter what waz Yesturday. Da Choice of Who I Want 2 Be, Haz alwayz Been and Will Alwayz Be Up 2 Me! So I Am God 2 Myself, and Da God Of My Self, Cuz Even when I am Alone, I am Alwayz with Myself!
Da Lion of Judah Prinze Royal Elite Da Kingz N Da Building Yez!
GREETING TO YOU MY FRIEND...JUST WANTED TO STOP BY AND LET U KNOW UR LOVED.
NAMASTE
DIVINE SOUL
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16
"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called." 1 Timothy 6:12
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge
Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
THIS IS THE POEM THAT STARTS MY NEXT BOOK - PART TWO TO THE RISE AND FALL OF A JAMAICAN DON THE HIGHLY ANITICIPATED CHASING THE AMERICAN DREAM..... COMING SOON.
I HAVE A DREAM DO YOU HAVE A DREAM? DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR DREAM? ARE YOU CHASING YOUR DREAM?
I AM CHASING MY DREAM THE AMERICAN DREAM 100% JAMAICAN THE LAST 4 LETTERS OF MY NATIONALITY SAYS I CAN SO I KNOW I CAN ACHIEVE MY DREAMS
WE ALL HAVE DREAMS SOME PEOPLE NEGLECT THEIR DREAMS CIRCUMSTANCES DEMOLISH SOME DREAMS FEW ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS YOU MUST HAVE HEART TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS
WE ALL WANT THE AMERICAN DREAM AMERICA IS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY THE PLACE WHERE ALL DREAMS CAN BECOME REALITY I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO MAKE DREAMS REALITY
I AM CHASING THE AMERICAN DREAM I HAVE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO MY DREAM IN REALITY THE WORLD IS CHASING THE AMERICAN DREAM GOD BLESS AMERICA
ANDRE PORTER
THANKS FOR READING
NOW LEAVE ME A NOTE SO OTHERS CAN KNOW WHAT U THINK
menn u were so great in Amsterdam! Just like u promised to come ..I was so happy to see you....! The DJ she was spinnin like madd..!! hahah great man..!
Such a great preformance standing on the left with mi girls havin a good time . u singing and laughin with us..!nicee..
cyaan wait to see u back in Holland! in the end of this year just like u said..!:d I will send di pics soon..
People desire many things, but it is the individual's duty and responsbilty to desire the proper things.
A noble failure may be of more value than a petty success.
Anyone who makes the wrong choices will be a burden, not only to themselves but to future generations.
though life is often short, one should live and act in such a way that their achievements will bring them and their country a good name forever. If they do not use their training for worthy ends, they will be an enemy to themselves and an obstacle to others. they will, indeed, be sick while supposedly heathy and dead while still alive.
The obligation to improve oneself does not cease simply because one has a regular job.
Simply watching other peoples achievements is a characteristic of the lazy person.
There is no person in this world who is free from lifes responsibilty.
If the wealth of a person cannot be for the general welfare, what would they gain for themself and their offspring but grudge and hatered?
A qualified person with vision, unmoved by daily selfish interests, will be led to moral decisions by their conscience......