Dovey Magnum looks to 2022 after difficult year

Female dancehall lyricist Dovey Magnum said that the past year "buff an' baff me", but that she has high expectations for the new year.

"Everything that's happened is all part of the industry experience, but 2022 ah guh be different type ah business," she told THE STAR recently.

In May, she was detained at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Atlanta, Georgia, which resulted in her missing a couple of bookings. But she said that she has returned to her regular programming since then.

"Despite the issues with ICE, I knew God was going to pull me out of that down, dark time," Dovey Magnum said, adding that with her legal team and the support of others, "everything is being worked out".

She also had to grapple with losing her verified page on Instagram, which, though not related to her detainment, invited critics to comment.

"The same mouth cheer for you will boo you. In a time like this, losing my official verified page meant I had to try my best to reach out to fans via other platforms like TikTok and Twitter. I give thanks and praise for the genuine fans that find me and for the people who show real concern and support for me," she said.

"I am undefeated in so many ways and I am not the type of girl who will stop. And you see from God give me strength and I have breath, and put people in my corners the right way, I will make it. At the end of the day, God holds my future. Music is what I was ordained for and I leave the ICE issues and all challenges in the hands of the Almighty. A me say prayers and win."

The dancehall artiste acquired new management for 2021 which she credits for her success and ability to remain consistent with productions. She recently released Harkive which is trending on TikTok and the Audiomack streaming platform. With her team, Dovey Magnum said she is also working on an album.

"It is about time the Bawl Out Nation [her fans] get a body of work ... something wholesome they can enjoy from me. Special shout out to my team, Nigel Angus, my manager, and Latoya McKay and Tameka Reynolds. We are excited to show what we have in store," she said.

In the coming days, she will be celebrating Christmas, planning for her birthday on December 28 and preparing for a show with I-Octane and the Visions Band in Florida on December 31.