Barbados has a wide pool of musical talent, and 2019 is the year we should stop sleeping on its female artists. Each year, we see more females dominating within the music industry no matter the genre. Some of these ladies are either mashing up soca fetes, serenading us with reggae, or fusing genres to create unique songs. So in no particular order, here are five female Bajan artists you should check out in 2019.
Krisirie
From her debut single ‘Wind Blows’ to her aesthetically appealing ‘For You’ video,
She has given us songs like ‘Confused’, ‘All of My Lovin’ and ‘Stunna Forever’ which can probably be added to a playlist alongside the likes of H.E.R or Alina Baraz.
Krisirie has been consistent with her quality of work. This year she will be dropping more music, doing more shows and hopefully we can hustle an EP out of her.
Rhea Layne
If Rhea Layne’s goal for 2018 was to make people know her name then she has succeeded. She first dropped ‘SPEAKAH’, which is a catchy dancehall track infused with snippets of Bajan culture. It resonated well throughout the island, especially with the quality music video that accompanied it.
Rhea then switched it up by releasing two soca tracks, ‘Puff of Color’ and ‘Best Friend’, showing off her versatility as an artist. Last year, her music really resonated during Crop Over and she’s definitely someone we should watch for 2019.
Ch’an
Ch’an’s rendition of ‘Chandelier’ by Sia at Mahalia’s Corner in 2016 left everyone in awe. She sang ‘Chandelier’ with her own unique twist and vibe. It is this vibe that makes her one to keep an eye on in 2019. Ch’an’s style of music is influenced by a variety of genres but one element that’s quite prominent is her soulful, jazzy voice. Her voice is distinct and powerful.
Her debut song, ‘Body’, shows her high-quality vocals and her exceptional artistry. As ‘Body’ is part of her upcoming project for 2019, it makes us anxious for what she’s up to next.
Vanessa Bongo
This socially conscious empress advocates for love and self-actualization through her reggae music. With her smooth, raspy tone and infectious lyrics, Vanessa is one talent we shouldn’t take for granted.
Just this month, she released the music video for her song, ‘Love Me For Me’, which helps to promote self-love. She’s set to release a single entitled ‘Ganja Farmer’, and another unnamed track within the next two months. Vanessa is also an ambassador for Bob Marley’s 74th birthday celebration ‘Catch a Fire 74’.
Amanda Reifer
We were first introduced to Amanda Reifer as the lead singer of Cover Drive in 2011 with their debut single ‘Lick ya down’. Their pop-infused sound brought something different out of the Barbadian community, as well as gained them some international success. Their album, ‘Bajan Style’ peaked at number 14 on the UK Album charts with singles like ‘Twilight’, ‘Sparks’ and ‘Explode’ becoming big hits.
However, in 2018, Amanda announced that she had been working on some solo music. Soon after, she dropped her debut single ‘Girl Like Me’. The vibe of the track is drastically different from what she produced with Cover Drive. It’s unapologetic, raw, soulful and a bit explicit. She kicked off her 2019 by releasing her second single ‘Ransom’.
This new solo career has Amanda on our radar and she should be on yours too.
