Women Who Made Their Mark on Caribbean Music to Headline Best of The Best Music Fest – South Florida Caribbean News

by Howard Campbell

MIAMI Three generations of women who made their marks on Caribbean music will be on this years Best of The Best Music Fest, scheduled for May 24 at Bayfront Park in Miami.

They are Jamaican dancehall stars Lady G, Tanya Stephens, Spice, Shenseea and Koffee, and Barbadian soca veteran Alison Hinds. According to Ronnie Tomlinson, publicist for the event, given their growing impact in music, promoters went for a strong cast of women.

Females are making a tremendous stride in the music industry, more than we have noticed in the past years. They are reigning in charts and engaging with their fans more than we have noticed before. Several of the female artists we have on this years lineup are streaming very well and have well over a million followers, said Tomlinson.

The Grammy-nominated Koffee has been the most visible of these acts in the last 18 months. Her song Toast has done well in the United States and United Kingdom, even earning the nod from former US President Barack Obama.

Nineteen year-old Koffee is favorite to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album on January 26 with her EP, Rapture.

Like Koffee, Shenseea represents the new generation of dancehall and is popular throughout the Caribbean and Diaspora markets in the US.

Lady G has been recording for over 30 years and is best known for the 1988 hit song, Nuff Respect, which hit out against sexism in the Jamaican music business. Stephens career took off in the 1990s through risqu anthems such as Big Things A Gwaan and Yuh Nuh Ready fi Dis Yet.

Spice is a protg of Vybz Kartel whose provocative live show is reminiscent of Lady Saw.

London-born Hinds has been a leading figure in soca for over 30 years.

Tomlinson noted that Best Of The Bests female audience has grown considerably since the show was first held in 2010.

Women make this music fest a destination getaway aka girl trip. But the men also come out in numbers as they enjoy the outdoor festivities along with the cultural aspect of food and purchasing of arts and craft, she said.

The full lineup for Best Of The Best Music Fest 2020 will be announced soon.

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Women Who Made Their Mark on Caribbean Music to Headline Best of The Best Music Fest - South Florida Caribbean News