It has been some time since Queen Omega performed in Jamaica, and the Trinidadian roots-reggae singer is keen to break that drought. She is scheduled to do two shows there in December.
The first will be at Kingston Dub Club on December 15, followed by Sound A Alarm, an annual charity show staged by fellow roots act Iba Mahr in rural Linstead on December 31.
“It’s definitely been too long since I blaze a fire in Jamaica. The raw energy you feel when you touch stage show a ‘yard’ is indescribable,” said a confident Queen Omega.
A veteran of the European and North American reggae festival circuit, Queen Omega is in Jamaica for an extended period working on a new album she hopes to release in 2020. It will be her first since 2012’s Together we Aspire, Together we Achieve.
During the interim she has continued to perform in Europe and release singles sporadically, but much of that time between albums was spent with family in south Trinidad where she is originally from.
The decision to record in Jamaica was strategic because of the positive vibe she feels whenever she is that country. Queen Omega has performed at Rebel Salute and Reggae Sumfest.
“I feel a strong connection to the people of Jamaica. Throughout my years touring as a ‘Trini’ reggae artist, whenever I met Jamaican reggae artists they always encouraged me and praised me for my vocal style and pattern,” she said.
It is the second time in five years that Queen Omega is recording in Jamaica. This time around, she is keeping details of the sessions close to home, preferring to comment on their progress when they are near completion.
Queen Omega was born Jeneile Osborne in the San Fernando, Trinidad an area that has produced a number of noted performers. One of them is Lynn Taitt, a guitarist who helped shape modern Jamaican music by playing on countless hit songs such as Desmond Dekker’s 007 (Shanty Town) and Hold me Tight by Johnny Nash.
Like Jamaican Sister Carol, Queen Omega has built a solid following in Europe and North America through relentless touring, as well as recording several well-received albums including Away From Babylon and Servant of Jah Army.
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