Mye Laurell Finds A Home In Diana Ross Classic

For most singers, covering a classic made famous by Diana Ross would be an intimidating prospect. For US-based reggae vocalist Mye Laurell, it began with a leap of faith — and a little persuasion from veteran hitmaker Richie Stephens.

Now, the singer is enjoying a wave of radio success with her reggae-infused interpretation of It’s My House, the 1979 Diana Ross favourite that is steadily gaining traction on Jamaican airwaves.

The project was not even her idea.

“Richie Stephens chose the song, not me,” Mye Laurell revealed with a laugh.

“He said my speaking voice reminds him of Diana Ross. I didn’t know the song at first. He taught me the song. He said if I’m a big singer, I don’t need to know the song, just to follow his lead. So I did.”

Fortunately for Laurell, Stephens’ instincts appear to have been spot on.

Produced by the reggae veteran on his Pot of Gold label, the remake retains the warmth and celebratory spirit of the original while introducing a distinctly Caribbean flavour. The song, written and produced by legendary husband-and-wife duo Ashford & Simpson, first appeared on Ross’s The Boss album and became a modest international hit, reaching No. 27 on Billboard’s R&B chart and No. 32 in the United Kingdom.

More than four decades later, Laurell is introducing the anthem to a new generation of listeners.

“The feedback from the public so far has been phenomenal,” she said.

Music, however, is only one part of Laurell’s story.

Away from the microphone, the singer — whose real name is Laurel Nurse — is a registered nurse, philanthropist and founder of the Queens Of Reggae Island Honorary Ceremonies (QORIHC), an organisation dedicated to recognising the contributions of women in Caribbean music.

Established in 2016, QORIHC has spent the past decade shining a spotlight on female entertainers and industry professionals whose contributions often go overlooked.

“QORIHC’s distinct aim is to increase the social morale of women in Jamaica,” Laurell explained.

“It gloriously publicly acknowledges the tireless work that women put into the Jamaican entertainment industry in all capacities.”

The organisation will celebrate a significant milestone this year when it stages its 10th anniversary awards ceremony on May 31 at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium in Kingston.

Among the 2026 honourees are cultural commentator Dr Carolyn Cooper, dancehall artiste Stacious, reggae singer J.C. Lodge, media personality Empress Golding and veteran journalist Janet Silvera.

Although music has always been her first love, Laurell temporarily stepped away from recording to focus on healthcare and building the QORIHC brand.

Before that hiatus, she enjoyed a promising run on the reggae circuit, scoring several radio hits and earning the New Jersey Reggae Award for Best Female Singer in 2007-2008. She also recorded a well-received cover of Gregory Isaacs’ classic Night Nurse.

The desire to return to the spotlight was reignited after a memorable appearance at the 2024 QORIHC Awards ceremony.

“I opened the last QORIHC Awards with Gem Myers singing Whitney’s Greatest Love of All,” she recalled.

“After that, Gem Myers gave me the stamp of approval to begin singing and continue on the path where I left off while pursuing QORIHC.”

That encouragement proved pivotal.

After spending years championing the achievements of others, Laurell decided it was finally time to reconnect with her own artistic ambitions.

For the past decade she has tirelessly promoted and organised QORIHC, but she admits there came a point when she felt compelled to return to the recording studio.

“Now I am back in music, and that’s how It’s My House became a reality,” she said.

With radio support building and renewed confidence in her musical journey, Mye Laurell appears determined to prove that there is room in her life for both service and song.

And if the public response to It’s My House is any indication, listeners are more than happy to accept the invitation.