“Growing up, I loved ragga music and decided to try it out in 2009. My friends encouraged me saying that I had a powerful and unique voice. That was the turning point and I felt that music was really my calling,” she said. Gaza admitted that it was difficult to penetrate the music industry and being a female dancehall artist she had to work extra hard to be accepted at par with her male counterparts.
“I love dancehall and I have proved that l can do it. Some guys tried to discourage me saying that l would not survive but here I am, people love my music. Who said dancehall is for men alone?” she said. She says her family is very supportive of the path she has chosen though her grandmother has much disdain for it, considering dancehall music a genre for dope takers.
“Cracker”, the first song she recorded, talks about marijuana and its effects. “Living in the ghetto, I have seen and heard about the effects of marijuana. I realized that as youths our lives are destroyed by the drug,” she added.
Before joining the music industry, Gazi tried to work in South Africa but failed to make it.
“I went as far as Form Five and then decided to go to South Africa because I had heard so many stories about how good life was that side. When l went there I realized that it was not all that rosy. I thought by going there my music would reach greater heights but no studio was prepared to house me. It is not easy being in a foreign land,” said Gazi.
The dancehall sensation has so far released 20 singles and is currently working on her debut album titled The Queen Unleashed which is a joint project with Freeman.
“When someone like me sings about drugs or what is happening in the community, it does not mean that I am doing those things. Most people think that I smoke marijuana but I don’t, it is just creativity. I will be trying to make it more exciting,” she said.
Post published in: Entertainment