by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – Etana plays dual roles on her latest project, The Freemind Riddim, a 12-song compilation album released on May 10 by her Freemind Music Records.
The singer-songwriter produced the album as well as performs the song Grateful. She personally selected the artists who are a mixture of established and upcoming acts.
“The artists were selected based on the the era of reggae that I came up in… the early 2000’s. Everyone selected has that mutual respect for each other… so it was a good fit,” she said.
Some of the artists on the Freemind Riddim are Richie Spice, who does Life Goes On, Ginjah (Coming Around), I Octane (Violence) and Gary Gutty whose song is Darling.
Etana, best known for songs like Wrong Address, I Am Not Afraid and Warrior Love, has recorded several hit songs on ‘riddims’, which has been a winning formula in Jamaican music for decades.
While some critics frown on the concept of multiple artists on a single beat, she believes this format still has its place.
“Riddim albums keep the music moving and keeps the culture of reggae music and dancehall strong,” Etana argues.
The Kingston, Jamaica-born artist has been involved in music production for some time. Etana produced Pamoja and Reggae Forever, her two albums which were nominated for Best Reggae Album at the Grammy Awards.
