On International Women’s day 2018, Etana put out a caliber with Reggae Forever (Tad's Records), which is outstanding in quality and versatility. From the very beginnings of Jamaican popular Music, to Modern Roots and Dancehall, Reggae Forever has it all.
Born Shauna McKenzie in Kingston, Jamaica, the only girl in a family of boys, Etana grew up in the eastern Saint Andrew community of August Town. Her vocal talent was discovered when she was eight years old and was overheard singing along to a 1991 hit by the group Air Supply.
Etana migrated to the United States in 1992. She went on to attend Broward Community College with the intention of becoming a registered nurse
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Flashmag September 2019 www.flashmag.net
Following her decision to prematurely exit college in 2000, Etana joined a female vocal group named Gift. At the time Universal Records was interested in their music so Etana reluctantly agreed to wear the skimpy outfits dictated by the music industry’s pervasive stereotyping of female artists; then one day, she could no longer conform. Etana returned to her Kingston birthplace and focused on making music that reflected her embracement of Rastafari principles, which include a royal representation of women, adhering to a natural lifestyle, and an acknowledgment of the teachings of Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie I. Another opportunity arrived in 2005 when a friend brought her to Kingston's Fifth Element Records,
Etana Reggae forever