Patra, the dancehall star behind Queen of the Pack and Center of Attraction, has revealed that she walked away from music and into a long depression after growing disillusioned with the business side of her career. Now she is reclaiming her share of the masters for both albums.
The singer, whose run included a number one album, a gold record and four entries on the Billboard Hot 100, stepped away from the spotlight for more than 12 years. She has now spoken openly about what drove that decision and how she found her way back.
Patra’s rise began after a performance at Sting, where she was discovered, followed by a stop in New York that led to a record deal with Sony. She described the work of a signed artist as a team effort that ultimately rests on one person. “For the plan to be executed, it has to be me,” she said.
She stressed that the performing side of the job was never the problem. “I’ve never had a problem with my fans, my performance, or anything at all that I’ve done,” she said.
She described herself as the one who shows up for every interview and every appearance, and she spoke warmly of touring from country to country, adding that “my fans are so amazing.”
The business side was a different story. Patra said she was “very disappointed” by how her affairs were handled. She was clear that money was not the only issue. Her concerns were about daily treatment and whether the people around her truly cared about the artist.
She was still a teenager when she left her mother’s home to work among strangers, and she believes that made things harder. “It’s always good to have people who have your best interest at hand,” she said.
She noted that having women in the industry around her, people in the business rather than friends, could have helped guide her through difficult moments. She explained that there were things she could not bring to her mother because she did not want her to worry.
Eventually, she chose distance over conflict. “The most important thing for you to do is to take away yourself from the situation than to add more pressure to the situation,” she said.
That decision came at a steep personal cost. “I walked away and went into depression,” she said, describing a period she put at more than 20 years. She recovered without medication. “No painkillers, no nothing. I did it with mostly prayers and just refreshing my mind on things that happened,” she explained.
The turning point came suddenly. “One day I just got up and I said, ‘It’s now or never,'” she recalled. She decided she wanted back what was hers, including her masters.
Patra pointed to a United States law that allows artists to reclaim their masters after 30 years. She said she was contacted by Kerry Gordy, who explained what could be done for her. “I felt a sense of relief and everything was worked out behind the scenes,” she said.
The result is a significant win for the artist. I’m getting back my share of my masters for both records,” she said, naming Queen of the Pack and Center of Attraction.
Despite the disappointment, Patra holds no bitterness toward those she dealt with. She said she has always shown respect, “because I forgive people,” and she now views the hard years with a sense of purpose.
“I find it like it’s a spiritual thing,” she said. “I was supposed to go through those things in order to be where I’m at today.”
