Myoka misses celebrating Christmas ‘a yawd’

Jamaica-born, US-based entertainer Myoka says that every Christmas season she becomes homesick because "there is no Christmas like Christmas in Jamaica".

In the first of THE STAR's Irie Christmas feature, the entertainer shared that while growing up here, she received the "best of both worlds" at Christmas time, by traversing from her dad's home town in St Mary to her mother in Kingston.

"Mi love yawd - mi love Kingston and mi love di country vibe. It was marvellous growing up in Jamaica. Christmas means family [and] rum cake," she laughed. "It's about family, food, forgiving and just enjoying a good time and just doing it in a way [which brings out] the authentic Caribbean feel." She lamented that since residing in the US for more than 10 years, she has not spent a Christmas on home soil.

"But what my [siblings' and I] do is bring Jamaican [Christmas to] America. Suh wi mek sure we get the cake [and] wi come together and those who are to be forgiven, are forgiven in that moment," she said.

"But I wanna experience again that Jamaican Christmas with di vibe and di people [because] Jamaican people different, enuh. When dem see yuh, is 'Waah gwaan, irie, respect'. Although we should come together more, we still have a connection. The people of Jamaica are different and are significant in the world," a passionate Myoka added.

While expressing her deep desire to experience a 'yawd vibe' Christmas again, she highlighted a major cultural difference in celebrating Christmas locally versus internationally.

"What I see happening over there is [that they have] a lot of big lights and trees and they forgot about coming together and cooking - most of [them] go out to eat. It's really the cultural people dem alone celebrate Christmas that way. They have stockings, waiting for Santa [Claus]. But Santa nuh come a Jamaica, wi nuh have nuh chimney," she chuckled.

The artiste further shared that she even specifically penned a song geared towards a Jamaica-style Christmas, titled Irie Christmas.

"It was done three days before Christmas the song was written, we found a place to make the video. I live in Orlando but we wanted a place more cultural like Jamaica, so we had to find a beach that has the Jamaican background. We got the dominoes, sorrel, everything authentic," said Myoka. After losing her grandmother earlier this year, she shared that the best part about Irie Christmas is now a "bittersweet moment". She watched her grandmother "flinging her shoulders and dancing; because [the song gave] you that 'Irie Christmas' vibe about family [and] about love".

Though she's yearning to once again indulge in the local festivities, the Closer singer encouraged everyone to remember the reason for the season.

"Wi need to be more reverent. Wi need fi dress back a likkle bit and remember that this is [Jesus Christ's] birthday. We've got too commercialised. Let's go back tot the birth of Christ, being more diligent and graceful and more Christ-like. It's about coming together and being reverent for the life of Jesus," she urged.

As she looks to embrace the spirit of Christmas, the artiste shared that she is mostly looking forward to spend Christmas with her own grandchildren as this will be their first Christmas holiday. She also anticipates embracing the routine celebrations with family as she listens to her favourite Christmas song - Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).

She encouraged her Jamaican people to "stay safe, remember the magic of Christmas and stay focus on God" during this season.

Myoka, who's also a professional dancer, choreographer, actress and director shared that all her life she has been involved in every aspect. She opined that it's a "gift from God" and she was "destined to be a star".

Since advancing her career with Island Breeze Entertainment in 2014, two years after she started music, the singer was introduced to several musical genres. Under her new management, Myoka has released a R&B album and an Afrobeat EP, while composing four Spanish songs. She is now looking to venture into calypso.