Tanzie ready to give full performance at Rebel Salute

Twenty-one-year-old Tanzania 'Tanzie Musique' Barrett is kicking off the new year in a big way, having been billed to perform at Rebel Salute that is set for January 20 and 21 at Grizzly's Plantation Cove in St Ann.

Though this is not her first time getting on the stage, this time is far more important as she is expected to deliver a full performance on night two among veterans. She told THE STAR that she is looking forward to seeing the reaction from the crowd by showcasing her music and talent.

"I am a little nervous but mostly excited for this new step in my journey," she said. "I've been rehearsing a whole lot because this would be my first time performing on such a wide scale stage doing my own set. Better yet, this will be the first time I'm doing a set, so it's just rehearse, rehearse, rehearse."

Tanzie is the daughter of event organiser Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica, but her talent does speak for itself. As for advice from her parents going into the show, she said they urged her to remember that.

"Really and truly both of them basically said 'Yuh bad enuh suh. Just make everybody else see that me bad for real'," she shared.

Growing up in Spanish Town, St Catherine, the young reggae artiste has always had a passion for music. In her spare time, she, like many artistes of this generation, spends time on TikTok showcasing her musical prowess and gaining a solid fan base. Last July, she released her first single Toxicology. In hopes of continuing the year on the right trajectory, Tanzie is planning on releasing a solid repertoire of music for 2023.

"I'm planning on dropping way more music so I can build my discography. I want to get on more shows so I can work on my stage presence and so on, and really just building a real fan base," she explained.

Rebel Salute was first staged in 1994 and became a two-night show in 2014. It attracts reggae lovers and followers of Rastafarianism from across the world. This year, night one will see artistes such as Rodney Pryce, Tony Rebel, Lady G, Duane Stephenson, Louie Culture, Ernie Smith, Rytikal, Bling Dawg and Nation Boss.

For night two, Luciano, I-Wayne, Capelton, Sanchez, Moses Davis, Terry Linen, George Nooks, Imeru Tafari, Ras-I, Junior Holt, Wesrok and Echo Minott are among the acts expected to close the curtain on the 2023 staging.