Etana (musician)
| Etana | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Shauna McKenzie |
| Born |
May 22, 1984 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, record producer, guitarist |
| Years active | 2008-present |
| Labels | VP, Freemind Music LLC |
| Website | etanathestrongone |
Shauna McKenzie (born 22 May 1984, Kingston, Jamaica), known as Etana, is a reggae singer from Jamaica. Her debut album The Strong One was released in June 2008.
Born Shauna McKenzie, the only girl in a family of boys, Etana grew up in the eastern Saint Andrew community of August Town. Her vocal talent was discovered when she was eight years old and was overheard singing along to a 1991 hit by the group Air Supply.
Etana migrated to the United States in 1992. She went on to attend Broward Community College with the intention of becoming a registered nurse.
Following her decision to prematurely exit college in 2000, Etana joined a female vocal group named Gift. At the time Universal Records was interested in their music so Etana reluctantly agreed to wear the skimpy outfits dictated by the music industry’s pervasive stereotyping of female artists; then one day, she could no longer conform.
Etana returned to her Kingston birthplace and focused on making music that reflected her embracement of Rastafari principles, which include a royal representation of women, adhering to a natural lifestyle, and an acknowledgment of the teachings of Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie I. That opportunity arrived in 2005 when a friend brought her to Kingston's Fifth Element Records, who were then enjoying success with Richie Spice's single "Earth A Run Red" and his album Spice In Your Life. Etana successfully auditioned to become one of Spice's vocalists on his tour of Europe and North America.
While in the studio with the guitarist and percussionist from Spice's band, Etana put together the song "Wrong Address". Fusing acoustic folk with roots reggae rhythms and strains of neo-soul influences "Wrong Address" was based on the experience of Etana's aunt being told to lie about where she lived in order to gain employment. The single received heavy radio rotation, reaching the number one position on several Jamaican charts.
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