Kuanna Feels ‘Melancholy’ About State Of Music Industry

Reggae artiste Kuanna chooses to let positivity hold sway in her life even against the avalanche of negative music that normalizes rogue behaviour and glorifies the seamier side of life that dominates the nation’s streets. 

“I am forever keeping it positive as best as I can, we are surrounded by so much negativity, we have to preserve the melanin, the black people, preserve the consciousness of the youth, preserve the future, strive for balance,” she said.

That is why she is going all out to promote her latest track, ‘Melancholy’, a hard-hitting single that serves as social commentary regarding the negative topics and incidents that have given a black eye to the local entertainment industry.

“It’s a travesty really,” the talented singer said.

“The last few months, there has not been much emphasis placed on positive music to impact our youths, too many songs about scamming, too many about murder and molly. Good music a mek but if you nuh big inna di ting dem shut you out. But, I will not give up; righteousness exalteth the nation and wi a gwaan do di right as best as we can because wi have youth and a dem a fi future, we haffi make a change for the better,” she said.

The Melancholy single was released on the SoulAJoy and OneLink production labels over a week ago, and she is pumped up about the early feedback, and industry insiders have been responding to her positive songs that preach love, righteousnessness and divinity. 

“Big up BoomBoxFridays especially Harry Toddler who invite I to grace the Reggae Sumfest 2022 staging. Lots more work coming,” she said.

She plans to release the single as one of the tracks on her upcoming 8-track album, Love Journey, which is set to be released on January 6, 2023.

Kuanna first jumped into the spotlight when her powerful single, Pedophile Warning, went viral on social media and was shared by many notables in the industry such as Chronixx, Spragga Benz and legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock.

Born Sharnett Shereta Eccleston, she grew up in Trelawny in the small community of Deeside. She was raised in the Poco Revival church, never straying from her African roots.

Kuanna lauded the support she got over the years from many artists such as Turbulence, Half Pint, producers Patrick Roach and Milo Brown Seaton, choreographer Orville Xpressions, and Adena Myrie, sister of Buju Banton.