Inside South Florida’s Miramar Cultural Center, a sudden collective intake of breath rippled through the sold-out crowd of reggae fans on the opening night of Spragga Benz’s ‘Journey to Kingston’ birthday concert series. As three attendees lifted a visibly stunned Stacey Mirander onto the venue’s stage, even the most seasoned concertgoers in the audience had little idea they were about to witness a landmark moment in the young artist’s burgeoning career.
Mirander was quickly greeted by two familiar figures: Miramar City Commissioner Maxwell B. Chambers and the event’s honoree, legendary reggae-dancehall performer Spragga Benz, confirming the surprise appearance was carefully planned months in advance. As anticipation swelled across the auditorium, the rising singer waited patiently for opening act Laa Lee to wrap his set before stepping to the center of the stage to claim her microphone.
In a bold, memorable choice, Mirander launched into her original composition *Oh Mother Earth* completely a cappella, no instrumental backing to soften her first big public performance. Her raw, clear vocals cut through the hush of the room immediately, holding every audience member’s attention and earning an early wave of enthusiastic cheers. Within moments, the event’s core backing group, the Ruff Kut Band, joined in, followed by a team of background vocalists, expanding the intimate solo opening into a full, sweeping reggae production that had the entire crowd swaying along to the rhythm.
For Mirander, this unplanned-by-the-audience but long-awaited set marked the biggest milestone of her young career: it was the first time she had ever performed live alongside a full band in front of a ticketed audience. Speaking after the performance, the singer described the moment as a years-in-the-making dream come to life. “It was a moment I had been waiting for, a dream unfolding in real time, and I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity,” she said. “Happy birthday to Spragga Benz for sharing such a special moment with so many people on a day meant to celebrate him.”
Only a few days prior, Mirander had completed her very first full-band rehearsal for the performance, and she noted that the energy of the live crowd far exceeded any expectation she held. “I could feel the energy in the room and the spirit of reggae music flowing through me,” she explained. The stripped-back, emotion-driven track *Oh Mother Earth* will serve as a centerpiece of her upcoming debut studio album, a project she says she hopes will introduce her unique take on reggae to a global fanbase.
The opening night of the ‘Journey to Kingston’ series drew one of the most stacked lineups of reggae and dancehall talent assembled in South Florida this year. Alongside Spragga Benz and surprise guest Mirander, the bill featured iconic and rising performers including Wayne Wonder, Agent Sasco, Everton Blender, Ky-Mani Marley, Yohan Marley, Bugle and Lici Soul. To add a unique layer to the celebration, performers were backed by not only the Ruff Kut Band but also the Florida Memorial University Orchestra, blending classic reggae grooves with lush, sweeping orchestral arrangements that reimagined classic tracks for the audience.
As the first stop on a multi-city tour, the Florida opening set the tone for a series designed to celebrate reggae’s enduring cultural impact across the world. After the Florida launch, the ‘Journey to Kingston’ series will travel next to Philadelphia for a second show, before wrapping with a grand final performance in the genre’s birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica, where artists and fans from across the globe will gather to honor the legacy and ongoing evolution of reggae music.