We stopped the Digicel Rising Stars viewers and voters in the streets, as well as those coming from the performance shows to find out exactly what it is they want to know about their favourite Top 3 Digicel Rising Stars contestants.
Renee Saunders, 19, Manor Park Question for Princess Tia: What importance does your family have in your life, especially as it is relates to your singing both before Digicel Rising Stars and now that you are in the competition, and what role will they continue to play, whether you win or lose?
Princess Tia: My family has always been my driving force in my career; they encourage me in everything, especially in singing. This is not my first competition, I was in All Together Sing and I went to The World Championships of Performing Arts back in 2006 where I represented Jamaica and came back home with a silver medal. My parents encouraged me to enter Digicel Rising Stars, and are still standing behind me now. My mom hardly even works anymore, she is always out on the streets campaigning for me. In the future, Win or Lose, I plan to continue pursuing music, and I know they will still be there supporting me. My Dad plays the guitar, and my Mom is a percussionist in their Mento band, “The Over Takers” and I’ve been in the band since I was four, matter of fact, before that, from my Mom was pregnant with me. Music is in my blood, and I will not stop.
Zara Brown, 19, Kingston Question for Adena: Was your brother, Buju Banton, your main inspiration to start singing or were there others? And what do you plan to do after Digicel Rising Stars, whether you take home the title or not?
Adena: Yes, my brother was one of my inspirations, I grew up hearing him singing; he was always DJ’ing in front of me, asking “If this sound good?” And he inspires me with his success, the fact that he blew up big. But at the same time I grew up in the church, and started singing there and I was inspired there as well. My friends and family and my daughter have also been a major inspiration to me, always supporting me, always encouraging me to sing and put myself out there. My friends give me good encouragement, some of them sing, and have excelled in it, although they haven’t buss big, yet! After Digicel Rising Stars I will be onto bigger and better things. I will continue to stay in the minds of the Jamaican people, and I will continue to pursue music, positive music, whether, culture, R&B or soul, just positive music.
Julian Wynter-Anderson, 19, (Acadia) Buford GA Question for Brown Sugar: You say you want to "Buss Big", and with your flair for Jamaican music this is more than likely, whether or not you win the competition. But how do you plan to impact Jamaican Music? How will you be different from other artistes, and how will you be similar?
Brown Sugar: I am different in sound, and mi tink I am different in style. I am not going to limit myself and just sing Dancehall, or culture, I am open to any and everything. Also, I am not into singing anything lewd, mi nuh need fi do dat. Music is an art, you can describe things like sex in a creative way, twisting things. That would be how I would do it.
Similar? I would be similar I guess in the fact that I would be doing Jamaican music for Jamaican people and the world. Me a build a new artist, mi nah try be like Spice or Lady Saw, or Lady Sizzla (laughs). A fan told me recently “Don’t mek dem stereotype you, do any music.” Just like when you read the Bible, everytime you read you get something else, like that me waan do; deep music. Me a bring to the world some tings weh happen to me and weh me go through, because me know that things weh happen here happen overseas.
I have been doing music ever since; it is my life. No matter what, I will continue to do it, and mi hope and pray someone si mi and like mi. If it is God’s will, then yeh, it shall be done.
