In the vibrant music landscape of Kingston, Jamaica, a dynamic young teenage talent is rapidly turning heads and winning over crowds with electrifying, soul-stirring live performances. Nineteen-year-old Sanna Moore, a student at St. Andrew High School for Girls, recently left a packed audience awe-struck at the “To Mom With Love” concert hosted at the AC Hotel Ballroom, where her soaring interpretation of Andra Day’s modern anthem of resilience *Rise Up* cemented her reputation as a rising star to watch.
As Moore’s rich, powerhouse vocals echoed through the ballroom’s walls, the raw, emotional intensity of her delivery sent tangible electricity through the crowd, leaving listeners with involuntary chills and a collective jolt of energy. More than just a cover performance, Moore’s rendition of the track felt like a deliberate, confident coming-out: a defiant, clear statement that a bold new voice had arrived on Jamaica’s storied music scene.
For Moore herself, the sold-out concert confirmed what she had long known: her passion lies in connecting with live audiences. “As soon as I stepped on stage, all my nerves just melted away,” she shared in a post-performance interview. “Watching the crowd feel the song right along with me? That moved me more than I can say.”
Moore’s journey from a music-loving student to an emerging professional performer has been shaped by mentorship from some of Jamaica’s biggest names, most notably iconic reggae artist Etana. A classically trained violinist and vice president of her school’s Wind and String Ensemble, Moore grew up immersed in a diverse range of musical styles, from reggae and R&B to neo-soul, gospel, and traditional Nyabinghi music. She counts a roster of groundbreaking women in music as her core influences, including Rihanna, Jobe Jay, Lila Iké, Ella Mai, and Etana, whose uplifting, relatable lyrics have resonated with her since childhood.
A fateful meeting during Jamaica’s annual Reggae Month changed the trajectory of her burgeoning career. After introducing herself to Etana at an Emancipation Park concert, Moore was invited to sing an impromptu performance for the star. “She told me she got goosebumps when I finished,” Moore recalled of the encounter. “That moment changed everything for me—it gave me so much confidence to keep going.”
Etana didn’t just praise Moore’s talent: she also offered tangible guidance, encouraging the young artist to stay optimistic, build her own catalog of original work, and embrace the vital role Black women play in reggae and global entertainment. That connection soon opened an unexpected professional door: Etana’s management team reached out to Moore’s father, respected Jamaican businessman Dwight Moore, to express interest in collaborating with the teen.
The partnership quickly led to Moore’s first major gig, a performance slot at the acclaimed Jamaica Food and Drink Festival, which introduced her to a far larger audience and solidified industry interest in her work.
Today, Moore is balancing her rising music career with a key academic milestone: she is currently preparing to sit for her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations this June. But she has already set her sights on what comes next, planning to use the upcoming summer break as a launchpad to release her first collection of original music. For fans and industry observers alike, all signs point to a long, impactful career ahead for Sanna Moore—a fresh, unapologetically fierce new voice with stories the world is eager to hear.