分类： entertainment

For genre-bending American singer Lady Songbird, July 4 will mark more than just a national holiday—it will bring the long-awaited launch of her first major foray into reggae: the soulful new single *Talkin Bout Love*, dropping globally on all major digital streaming platforms.

A versatile artist whose sound draws from a rich tapestry of musical traditions, including gospel, jazz, opera, R&B and reggae, Lady Songbird crafted the upcoming track from deeply personal source material. The song draws its emotional core from three distinct real-life romantic relationships she has experienced, and explores the ever-shifting nature of human connection.

“Love is dynamic. There’s nothing wrong with cherishing the beautiful parts of a relationship. That’s what makes us human,” she shared in an interview about the new release.

The project carries unique weight for the artist, as it represents her first full venture into reggae. To deliver an authentic, rooted sound that honors the genre’s legacy, she secured production from Aston Barrett Jr.—the son of Aston “Family Man” Barrett, the iconic bassist for The Wailers, one of reggae’s most influential pioneering groups.

The collaboration grew from a cold outreach on Instagram, and eventually led Lady Songbird to Kingston, Jamaica, where she cut her lead vocals at the world-famous Tuff Gong Studios, the historic recording space founded by reggae legend Bob Marley. For the vocalist, the experience of recording in such a storied location was more than a professional milestone—it was a transformative personal moment.

“It was important that my first reggae project have a musical stamp of authenticity,” she explained. “Recording at Tuff Gong was a life-changing moment.”

The final track leans into classic reggae tradition, featuring the iconic one-drop rhythm that defines the genre, a distinctive Wailers-inspired bassline, and backing vocal arrangements that echo the harmonies of the legendary I-Threes, Marley’s long-time backup vocal trio. Lady Songbird emphasized that Barrett Jr’s guidance was instrumental in balancing her creative vision with a commitment to preserving reggae’s cultural integrity, elevating the entire project in the process.

Adding another layer of professional excellence to the production, the track was mixed and mastered by Marc Lee, a seven-time Grammy Award-winning engineer who has built a decades-long working relationship with the Marley family and their extended artistic circle.

Lady Songbird’s connection to reggae and Jamaican culture extends far beyond this new single. Raised in Boston, Massachusetts, in a neighborhood with a large Caribbean diaspora community, reggae was woven into the fabric of her daily life from childhood. A lifelong fan of Bob Marley, she says her bond with the genre goes deeper than music, rooted in a deep respect for Jamaican culture as a whole. She first visited the island in 2001, and has returned consistently over the years, calling Jamaica her second home.

Her artistic journey began far earlier, though: at nine years old, she made her first public performance at her local church, singing Whitney Houston’s iconic version of *The Greatest Love of All*. Over decades of work in the industry, she has grown into a cross-genre performer, blending her gospel roots, formal operatic vocal training, experience as an actor and voice-over artist into a distinct creative style. Citing legends like Aretha Franklin and Bob Marley as her core influences, she has built a reputation for prioritizing authentic storytelling and raw emotional expression across every genre she explores.

Looking beyond the July 4 single drop, Lady Songbird has already set her sights on upcoming projects. She is currently putting the finishing touches on *Empress Lady*, her debut reggae extended play. She is also developing *The Reggae Sessions*, a new podcast that will serve as a global platform for reggae artists, instrumentalists and fans to connect and share their love for the genre. For Lady Songbird, the core mission guiding all her work is straightforward: celebrate love through music, honor the legacy of reggae, and help nurture the culture so it can thrive for generations to come.

For nearly a decade, Jamaica-based independent music imprint Overproof Records has built a quiet, trusted legacy: unearthing underpromising raw talent from the island’s western region, and nurturing local underground buzz into country-wide acclaim. Now, the label’s founder and chief executive, Asa “Ace” Smith, says he has found his next rising star primed to make that iconic leap.

The label’s latest signing is Zen, a St James-born singer-songwriter whose deeply personal debut single *Over You* dropped June 12 on every major global streaming platform. The emotionally evocative track weaves a narrative of heartbreak, post-toxic relationship healing and quiet resilience, following a protagonist grappling to let go of lingering trauma from an unhealthy partnership while holding out hope for authentic connection and lasting love.

“Zen is going to blow up — his songcraft is exceptional, and his vocal delivery is one-of-a-kind,” Smith said in an upbeat interview. “This track isn’t just catchy; it’s heartfelt, powerful, and tells a story that so many listeners can see themselves in. That’s the kind of music that sticks.”

Raised in the rural Rosemount community of Cambridge, St James, and born in the coastal hub of Montego Bay, Zen cut his musical teeth in the church. It was as a member of his local congregation’s choir that he first fell in love with singing, before expanding his performance experience through school productions while attending Cambridge High School. His natural vocal talent quickly caught the eye of industry adjudicators: during his school years, he became a leading choir member and eventually earned a spot as a finalist in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Festival of the Arts, one of the nation’s most prestigious platforms for emerging Jamaican creative talent.

Unlike many young artists who rush into the spotlight, Zen carved his path into the music industry through an unconventional route. Before stepping into the booth as a recording artist, he cut his teeth behind the scenes as a producer, crafting original beats and instrumentals under the alias “Alpha.” This behind-the-scenes tenure gave him a nuanced, hands-on understanding of song structure, arrangement, and studio technique — skills that have already set his work apart as a frontman.

When he finally made the shift from production to performance, he adopted the stage name Zen and built his artistic identity around authentic, autobiographical storytelling. His sound merges his gospel and choral roots with modern Jamaican musical sensibilities, resulting in a style that balances spiritual depth, raw emotional honesty, and contemporary appeal, all anchored by intentional, meaningful lyricism.

That one-of-a-kind combination is exactly what makes Zen stand out in an oversaturated global music market, Smith argues. It also aligns perfectly with Overproof Records’ long-held core philosophy: “At Overproof Records, we have to seize every opportunity to invest in and elevate our music to the world,” Smith explained. This approach has been the backbone of the label’s steady growth: rather than chasing fleeting viral trends, the imprint prioritizes long-term artist development, cultivating acts with the staying power to shape Jamaican music for years to come.

With *Over You* out in the world and a full team invested in his growth, Zen is now at the starting line of a career journey that thousands of aspiring Jamaican artists dream of, but only a select few successfully launch. For Smith and the entire Overproof Records team, the expectation is clear: Zen’s blend of sharp songwriting, polished vocals, and uplifting, relatable messaging will resonate with listeners across Jamaica and far beyond, cementing his place as the label’s next breakout success.

For decades, the quiet contributions of Sheila Lee to the growth and institutionalization of Jamaica’s iconic music industry have flown under the public radar. Now, as tributes pour in following her passing on June 6 at 83 years old in South Florida, those closest to her are highlighting the foundational role she played in building the legacy that defined Caribbean music for generations.

As the wife of legendary Jamaican music pioneer Byron Lee — founder of Dynamic Sounds recording studio and Jamaica Carnival, who passed away in 2008 after 41 years of marriage to Sheila — many have reduced her role to that of a supportive spouse. But her family and longtime colleagues say that description badly underestimates her impact on the sector. According to her daughter Julianne Lee, Sheila’s organizational and advocacy work laid groundwork that allowed her husband’s career and the broader Jamaican music scene to flourish.

“When Byron was able to tour 45 weeks out of the year, she was the anchor and the point of contact,” Julianne explained in an interview with Observer Online. Beyond holding the enterprise together during Byron’s extensive travel, Julianne noted Sheila was one of the first industry leaders to prioritize formalizing copyright and intellectual property protections for Jamaican artists. To advance that work, she invited New York-based music industry expert Paul Marshall to lead educational workshops for creators at Dynamic Sounds, filling a critical gap in knowledge for artists who had long been excluded from understanding their legal rights.

Born Sheila Khouri in Kingston, Sheila grew up as the eldest of 10 children in a Lebanese-Jamaican family, with deep existing ties to the nascent Jamaican music business. Her father Michel was a cousin to Kenneth Khouri, the owner of Federal Records and one of the first major pioneers of recorded music in Jamaica. A graduate of Kingston’s Immaculate Conception High School, she met Byron Lee through mutual connections to the Nasrallas, another prominent Lebanese-Jamaican family, and quickly became integrated into his early music work.

During the global ska boom of the early 1960s, when Lee’s band The Dragonaires rose to national fame, she accompanied the group to performances and popularized the energetic ska dance that became a core part of the genre’s public identity. By the 1970s, as Dynamic Sounds grew into Jamaica’s preeminent recording and production hub, Sheila had shifted her focus to building the business side of the operation, a role that earned her widespread respect from industry peers.

Tommy Cowan, who served as a marketing executive at Dynamic Sounds during that decade, recalled that Sheila brought a rare focus on artist discipline and rights advocacy to a largely unregulated industry. To address the gap in royalty and rights management, she founded Sheila Music, a dedicated music publishing company that helped artists collect rightful compensation for their work. Beyond her own ventures, Cowan noted she was a consistent behind-the-scenes supporter of key Dynamic Sounds projects, including the popular Christmas reggae album series, and breakthrough releases from iconic artists like Eric Donaldson and Adina Edwards. Cowan credits her sharp business acumen with turning Dynamic Sounds into the thriving, influential institution it became.

Sheila Lee is survived by three daughters — Judy, Julianne, and Danielle — three grandchildren, three stepchildren, and seven siblings. She was preceded in death by one brother. A thanksgiving service to honor her life and legacy is scheduled for June 19 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — One of Jamaica’s most promising emerging dancehall talents, Kemado, is gearing up for a long-awaited mainstream breakthrough with his highly anticipated new single *This Girl A Problem*, crafted under the production banner of Ibless Music Entertainment.

Kemado’s artistic roots stretch back to his childhood in Lemon Walk, a small community in Lowe River, Trelawny, before he relocated to Little Lane in Central Village, St Catherine, where he refined his performance and songwriting skills. He completed his secondary education at Spalding High School, an experience that anchored his early years before he fully committed to a career in music.

In a recent interview, the artist opened up about his personal and artistic identity, describing himself as a grounded, warm-hearted, and driven creator whose on-stage persona is fueled by relentless ambition, unwavering focus, lived experience, and a natural ability to engage audiences. “As an artiste, I am a star. I am hungry, focused, experienced and very entertaining. I am dedicated,” he affirmed.

A passionate advocate for his home country’s cultural heritage, Kemado emphasized that Jamaican culture remains one of the nation’s most powerful and globally sought-after exports. “From the energy I carry, it is easy to sell Jamaica using our culture as the product. People around the world prove that our culture is important and it sells,” he shared, noting the enduring global appeal of authentic Jamaican sound and storytelling.

Like many independent artists, Kemado’s path to the cusp of success has been marked by obstacles and setbacks, but he says critical feedback and pushback have only strengthened his craft and resolve. “Criticism is what made me and moulded me. I took all the stones thrown at me and built a stone wall. I am destined to be one of the greatest in dancehall,” he said, outlining his ambitious long-term goals for his career.

Renowned for his high-energy stage presence, sharp lyrical skill, versatile sound, and unshakable determination, Kemado has maintained a loyal growing fanbase by centering his music on themes of inspiration and motivation that resonate with listeners across demographics. His upcoming lead single *This Girl A Problem* draws inspiration from a real-life narrative, adding a layer of authentic storytelling that aligns with his artistic brand. Beyond the new single, the artist is putting the final finishing touches on his debut extended play (EP), which is expected to drop in the near future.

Alongside promoting *This Girl A Problem*, Kemado is currently pushing a second standalone single titled *Tomorrow*, which he co-produced alongside DJ Barber. Speaking about the track, he expressed confidence in its global potential: “This song has the energy, the story and the vibe to turn heads worldwide. People are going to relate to it because it’s real, exciting and full of authentic dancehall flavour.”

Closing with a heartfelt message to his growing audience, Kemado shared his core life philosophy: “Be true to yourself, show love, give thanks for life, and be responsible for your actions.”