Queen Omega is the most exciting, young female roots artist to emerge for a generation. Like her male counterparts Capleton, Anthony B and Sizzla, she weaves uncompromising Rasta beliefs with a dazzling array of dancehall skills, yet possesses an international outlook that has already earned her a growing fan base spread across Europe, America, the Far
East and the Caribbean.

Now twenty-three years old, Queen Omega hails from San Fernando in Trinidad. Encouraged by her mother (to whom she pays moving tribute on Mama), she began
entering local talent shows from the age of nine, writing her own calypsos and even rapping on national television. Later on she sang backing vocals for local producer Kenny Philips, accompanying numerous top Soca acts both in the studio and on stage. Raised in a musical family, she’d grown up listening to soul artists like Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker and Whitney Houston, as well as jazz and the traditional music of Trinidad. Such foundations were to serve her well later on; her favourites however, were reggae and dancehall. Inspired by the teachings of Emperor Haile Selassie I, her song writing skills soon blossomed, with roots and reality themes coming to the fore as her love of Rastafari deepened.

It was on a trip to Jamaica with the Solomon Band where she performed at the Caribbean Music Expo in late 2000 that she met Mickey D, who brought her to London the following year for sessions that resulted in her debut set, Queen Omega. Since then she’s toured extensively, had several hit singles and recorded a second album, the highly rated Pure Love. One year later and this new set again produced by Mickey D of the Green House family now spreads news of her talent

That it’s more dancehall-orientated than its predecessor is immediately apparent from her take on Amazing Grace, which is electrifying. Voiced over a cut of Dennis Brown’s Your Love’s Got A Hold On Me, its bold and assertive, and imbued by the spirit of Rastafari. It’s the mark of a young artist brimming with confidence, and who writes and performs with inner certainty, expressing truth at every turn. 22 Questions was a sizable hit in 2003 with its playful, but conscious dancehall style lyrics and delivery, whilst other tracks (including More Joy, a delightful Jah Jah Jah and Away from Babylon itself) draw from the classic reggae tradition with unmistakable freshness and immediacy.

Omega’s versatile blend of singing and dee-jaying is wholly contemporary, yet she clearly draws her inspiration from the same well as Bob Marley’s generation, which is to say Rastafari, nature, herb and a deep-seated love of humanity. She stands for the same things they did too, such as freedom, justice and equality, as well as unity. This vision informs all of her songs and with no apology, because whilst she sings of romance with real feeling (as on Friends For Life and Looking For Love), she can be militant too. Listen to Rise Natty Rise (which revives a popular Wailers’ rhythm), Deliver Me, De Youth and her proud and assertive defence of herb on Ganja Baby for proof of this. Also Know The Business, which resonates
with defiance and is a tale of growth, learning and above all, determination. Omega represents womanhood, as well as her culture let’s not forget, and her resolve to be a reliable, honest mouthpiece for causes she holds dear to her heart is unshakable.

“It’s clean up time now,” she sings on One Time, whilst reminding us that we, “can never see the vision if we’re blind.” We have to be ready she says, and to work hard as we journey forward in the spirit of righteousness. It’s autobiography, but it’s also teaching, as well as the hallmark of a truly gifted artist.

01.Amazing Grace
02.Away From Babylon
03.De Youth
04.Friends For Life
05.Ganja Baby
06.Jah Jah Jah
07.One Time
08.Know The Business
09.Looking For Love
10. Mama
11.Rise Natty Rise
12.More Joy
13.Greedy Bwoy
14.22 Questions
15.Deliver Me