Samantha J to represent Jamaica at Hollywood Carnival

Samantha J

Recording artiste Samantha J has had to deal with bullying and discrimination of some form because of her appearance.

"When people look at me they don't think I am Jamaican at first, but will hear it (when I speak)," said Samantha J, who has Guyanese, German and Jewish heritage.

"Mi mix up, but I am Jamaican, after all isn't our motto 'Out of Many, One People', I fully represent that," the Rockets singjay said.

Samantha J, having used her pastel skin-tone, pointy nose and small physique to her advantage, started out on the runway in her earlier teens as a model for Si Mi Yah Agency until she graduated to the main stages.

"My modelling career started while in high school, and after that I went directly to vocal training and performing. I never went on to tertiary education because I was all about doing things that just come natural - not by the book," Samantha J said.

LITTLEPATOIS

As of 2017, Samantha J has been signed to Sony Music in Europe where she has dedicated her time to recording and travelling back and forth from Los Angeles, where she resides. As a songwriter herself, any song that is given to her, she manages to edit to make it authentic to her roots - effortlessly vocalising Patois lyrically with pop tones.

"Any songwriter preparing a track for me must know it is going to sound different once it is recorded; I always add a little Ppatois when I write and even if it's not intentional, it will come out when I sing," she said.

Despite her absence on the local stages, Samantha J has been selected a second time around to represent Jamaica in the upcoming Hollywood Carnival and stresses that wherever she is, she wants to represent her island home.

"I never wanted a title, but to represent Jamaica and the music outside of our country," she said.

"That's why the J in my name stands for Jamaica," she said. "I want my fans to feel like mi nuh dash dem weh."

For this staging of Hollywood Carnival, the singjay is an ambassador for the band Reggae on the Road, which also features fellow dancehall recording artistes KipRich and Ce'Cile.

She will make a trip to Jamaica before the carnival to record videos for upcoming releases.