'Reggae Princess' Nadine Sutherland is imploring the new 'dancehall Gen Zs' to eliminate the 'darkness' in their music and replace it with 'joy'. In an interview with THE STAR , the 90's reggae/dancehall artiste stressed that while it is important to embrace the evolution in music, it's also imperative for musicians to keep the music 'happy and peaceful'. "No disrespect to the new music but it's not joy.
I'm not gonna lie to you, it's not joy. The other day when I did the show in the US and when Buju [Banton] just a draw di chune dem from di 90's, as yuh hear it yuh just feel joyful. Sometimes yuh hear 90's dancehall and is like yuh head tek yuh - is a whole different vibes," shared Sutherland.
"Ding Dong is the only artiste who still personally brings me little joy inna dancehall [because] di dancehall thing just set a way and it just really naah gimmie di joy like it used to; mi love dancehall and mi naah evolve wid dis yah evolution - mi sorry," she said. Sutherland said that when she hears the music, she wants to "feel the intoxication that I used to feel". "I want mi waistline just start bubble; mi waah si di face dem wi mek when wi a bubble because di music suh sweet, like it's hypnotic.
I would really love for that to come back in the music. And I don't mean it have to be fun, fun, fun all di time, but where is it? Wah everybody now a murderer [and] chopper?," she asked. The energetic 56-year-old singer said although she is not in the game to challenge any artistes, she still implores younger artistes to challenge themselves, sing more 'positive and uplifting' songs while encouraging females to value themselves more.
"First, my body nuh look like fi dem own suh mi just affi keep pon my path. Who like me, like me, and who nuh like me, suh it guh. But mi affi jus keep on doing what I do best.
God still gimmie some strength and stamina. Mi voice still a stand up, suh mi can dweet. But mi can't really look pon nobody now and seh mi ago go up against; that would be ridiculous," she said.
She opined that the overwhelming responses from Buju Banton's recent concert prove that she doesn't need to change anything about her music to remain relevant. "I turned up just as how I've always turned up, give it a 100 per cent, dressed appropriately, my voice was on point. I don't abuse my voice [or] my body, I'm always exercising.
So it's not a moment that was engineered; it's a moment that I always represent myself in the way that they saw, it was just on a very big scale," said Sutherland, who revealed that it took a certain sort of dedication and discipline to maintain these standards and lifestyles. On Heroes' Day, Sutherland will receive the Order of Distinction for her invaluable years of contribution to music. She credits her achievements to her hard work and her unwavering dedication to remaining authentic while trusting in her faith.
"I'm honoured, humbled and thankful. Reflecting on some of my valley moments, I'm thankful that I kept on putting one foot forward, even though I had no clue what life would have brought me. I pray that my journey can inspire someone to keep on moving irrespective of difficult experiences," shared Sutherland.
"This award is a celebration of how riding the waves of life can pay off. It's honouring all those who invested and believed in me: my parents, my family, my friends, the institutions that educated me, the persons who opened doors for me, my fans, my ancestors and my spiritual homes in New York and Jamaica," said the Action singer..
