D’Angel says it’s ‘time now’ to get her accolades

'Dancehall's First Lady' D'Angel is tired of 'busting down doors' and believes it's 'time now' for her to be given her well-deserved accolades.

Starting the celebration with her birthday on April 1, she continued the celebration with her 20th year of being a 'great female artiste' in the music industry. The artiste told THE STAR that despite the public backlash and obstacles faced, she is delighted to achieve such a major milestone while remaining relevant.

"I feel super great. It's my 20th anniversary and 'wow'. It has been a journey of triumph and pushing and owning my craft, always have to be reinventing myself. I've never been absent. I'm always present, always visible [and] recreating fresh music and it's just the fans, the love of the music and connecting with people, see how people reciprocated with me, and just the love for what I do [let me] maintain all a dat and I'm just flabbergasted," she said.

Speaking of 'fresh music', D'Angel is reaping the reward of another single, Time Now, which she said came as an inspiration from God.

"It's a compliment for you to say it's different because that song is a reggae-gospel song and that song came from God, to be honest. I was looking to myself and I was like 'God, I'm not seeing where I'm getting the rewards for my hard work and I've been watering my flowers for now 20 years and it has bloomed in my eyes and everybody eyes, so what is holding me back my big success?' And I went in my Bible and prayed and seh 'God just gimmie something' and I woke up and got it - time now," she revealed as she broke out into singing a few lyrics of the new track. She said that the reactions to the single have been "overwhelming", with fans comparing the impact to her 2008 hit track, Stronger.

In that breath, D'Angel said she has new energy as her past obstacles were no deterrent for her to make positive and impactful tracks that touch the lives of all persons.

"I really just try to remain focused. I've been through hell and back already so when I face challenges, it's like I'm doing good because if you weren't doing good, nobody wouldn't be talking about you. So it don't affect me one bit so keep talking because I'm gonna keep walking," said the artiste.

She empowered both aspiring and established artistes to always remain steadfast on their end goal ahead because "it's not an easy road".

"Yuh affi love wah yuh do, accept criticisms and work on yourself, your craft, stay prayed up and just stay focus and stay true to yourself," she said. The songstress is counting her blessings, after receiving three major awards for her charitable work and her contribution to entertainment. Among them was the IRAWMA Award, which saw the artiste getting recognition as 'Humanitarian of the Year'.

"It means everything. I'm the best of both worlds. It's a great feeling and it just goes to show that I'm appreciated, I'm rewarded for the hard work that I've been doing for the years and it's just a good feeling to continue to just do good," she said.