I was born and raised in Brixton, South London, to Rastafarian parents, so reggae was a constant in my life from the very beginning. Whenever I went to see my nan, which was often, I’d get lost in her collection of CDs and tapes. She had Ella Fitzgerald albums and Nat King Cole recordings, and I’d sit there completely absorbed, singing along even before I knew what the lyrics meant. Growing up with that mix of reggae at home and jazz and soul at my nan’s gave me a foundation that has never left me.
I’ve always sung from a young age. My mum is a reggae singer herself, and I started recording backing vocals with her when I was six. From then on, I was always singing, often with my mum and her friends. Those evenings were full of freestyling and messing around, and I loved every minute of it. In my late teens, I started recording my own songs. I began on the house scene and eventually joined a jazz band, singing for the swing dancing community.
Whilst in the jazz band, I released an album which led to performing at the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre. Shortly after that, I joined the Soho Live family after an unexpected invite to an event at The Piano Bar. I was booked a few weeks later and haven’t left since – we’re now into our eighth year.
I’m not technically trained in jazz and I don’t know all the references, but I feel it and it moves through me. Every note, from the piano to the bass, I feel it. Jazz has become my way of expressing myself, and on stage I feel most like me, quirks and all. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to play at Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Cafe, and many other established venues across London.
Soho has an incredible history, and you can feel it the moment you step into the clubs and venues. There’s a sense that you’re part of something that’s been going on for generations. The scene is always evolving, with a mix of established names and fresh talent, which keeps it exciting. You never know which artist you might bump into along the way. There’s an energy when you perform there that you just don’t get anywhere else.
Honestly, the most important milestone for me has been being able to make a living from music. It’s been a long road. When I gave up my day job and pursued music full time, those first couple of years were really hard, but getting to this point has made it all worth it.
I started DJing a few years ago with The Vinyl Sisters. I played one of their nights in Brixton and was hooked! Seeing the crowd love the songs as much as I did was amazing. I feel as free DJing as I do when I’m singing on stage. I’ve been collecting vinyl for many years, much of it gifted to me by my mum, and I mostly focus on reggae with a heavy emphasis on roots.
I have a monthly show on Voices Radio and have played at venues such as Hootananny, The Fox and Firkin, and Jumbi, to name a few. DJing is another side of me. I grew up surrounded by reggae, ska, and soul records, so it felt natural to start collecting and spinning them. For me, it’s about sharing music that means something. It’s storytelling, just in a different form.
I’ve got a lot coming up that I’m really excited about. I’ve just signed my third contract playing the Alternate Vita Noir in the immersive theatre production of 58th Street. Alongside that, I’ll be touring around the UK with Pama International, so there are plenty of live reggae dates to look forward to.
It’s going to be intimate but full of energy. I have a lot of fun on stage with my band, so expect a bit of oversharing, vulnerable moments, and some great interpretations of jazz standards. I may even sneak in a cheeky freestyle. I’ll be joined on stage by Tom Millar on piano, Chris Hyde-Harrison on bass, and Alfonso Vitale on drums.
