Safiyah feels marginalised by the dancehall community

Last year’s Magnum Queen of Dancehall, Safiyah, is already coming to terms with the challenges associated with trying to make a career in music.

The initial reaction to her demure persona is the first thing she has had to deal with.

She told THE STAR: “The first thing I will do when I walk into a studio is say good morning, afternoon, or evening and immediately if there are other artistes or producers present, because of my tone of voice, they begin to judge and make remarks like, ‘Yuh a wah? Yuh ah artiste or wah? Mi nuh understand, yuh voice too fine’,” she said. “I am marginalised based on how I look as well as how I speak to people because I guess in dancehall, they expect you to be rough. But mi rough and tough inna mi music and pon di stage.”

She said producers will discriminate, and like to compare and contrast new talent against those that are already established.

“There are a lot of young people in Jamaica like myself wanting to show they can do something with dancehall music and music in general, but never get to because of the same type of discrimination,” she said.

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

The constant negative feedback was a turn-off for Safiyah. Following the release of her single, Cheat, after winning the competition, Safiyah returned to her studies in physiotherapy.

But she has taken a hiatus from school this year to get back into music.

“I wasn’t doing music for a while and people started to question what was happening with my recording career and that is also because I did not promote myself at a sufficient level after the competition,” Safiyah said.

Despite all the discrimination, she says all that she has invested into her career has been worth it, and that includes putting her studies on hold.

“Music for me is therapy, especially with the pressure of school. In times when I needed a break or a place to relax, music acted like that safe haven,” she said.

She operates as an independent artiste and has also accepted the title of executive producer for her own label Safiyah Music.

“I freelance as well as produce my own music and I don’t discriminate against producers because as a newcomer, the chance of getting a stable team or individual to work with is slim. It is hard to find someone with the objective to put your best interest at heart. So instead of dealing with all that and ultimatums, I decided to go independent,” she said. “I want Safiyah to be seen as a young girl with big dreams to make better of her life conditions. Entering Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall was the first attempt at changing my reality and even though music is unpredictable, I am investing in something I believe I could be successful in.”