Patra Announces New Self-Titled Album, Partnership With VP/The Orchard And New Management
Reggae and Dancehall singer Patra has announced her upcoming fifth album, PATRA, which will be released in late summer this year.
The 12-track project’s first single, Tender Touch, will be released on Friday (March 22), and according to a release, it will offer a glimpse into Patra’s evolution as an artist, blending her signature Reggae-Dancehall vibe with soulful lyrics about empowerment through gentleness.
Patra, who released the Gold-selling Queen Of The Pack album under Sony Music’s Epic Records back in 1993, also proudly revealed that she will own all her masters for the upcoming project. She has partnered with VP Records and Sony Music subsidiary, The Orchard, leveraging her longstanding relationship with these music companies for her eponymous album.
The 51-year-old singer, whose real name is Dorothy Smith, is also now managed by Sharon Burke’s Solid Agency Company, which she describes as a “deliberate and strategic move for her future in the music.”
As for the new album, Patra has promised love, sensuality and positive energy. “This project has allowed me to dig deep into myself as a writer,” she said of the album, which is “95% complete.”
“The new album will contain both music rooted in Dancehall as well as mainstream but leaning more towards the former as well as my culture,” she added.
“I feel that it’s right for me to aim in this direction since I’ve been successful on both fronts – I don’t want to limit myself musically. I’m well aware of the success I’ve enjoyed with singing but my musical roots is the main focus! The new release will have ten solid tracks and be a message-oriented album, very sensual with quality music,” Patra said.
“When the fans hear these new songs, they won’t miss the 90’s!”
Patra’s Queen Of The Pack, released in 1993, spent 25 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 103. It had featured the singles Worker Man, which peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, Romantic Call with Yo-Yo, which peaked at No. 55 on the Hot 100, and Think (About It) with Lyn Collins, which peaked at No. 21 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and No. 89 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In 1994, the album was certified Gold in the United States, after it sold over 500,000 copies in the country.
Patra also scored as a featured singer on the Shabba Ranks song, Family Affair, which hit No. 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994.
Her sophomore album, Scent Of Attraction, followed in 1995 under Epic.
It peaked at No. 151 on the Billboard 200 and featured the singles Pull Up To The Bumper, which peaked at No. 60 on the Hot 100, Scent Of Attraction with Aaron Hall, which peaked at No. 82 on the Hot 100, and Dip and Fall Back.
She followed up with The Great Escape (2003) under Charly Records, and Westmoreland Girl (2016) under Treasure Chest Productions.
Her recent singles were Gimme Way (2023), and Love Your Body (2022) on producer NotNice’s Cool Reminder riddim.