As beautiful as she is gifted, reggae songstress Dasia has carved out a reputation in the local music industry for her apple-sweet vocals and her smashing live performances.
She has been getting a buzz with her single, Wid We, released on the Ice Rush Music Group label in April, and she is hoping to translate that buzz into a bonafide solo career.
“I am feeling great about the direction of my career so far,” the bubbly 33 year-old said.
Born Dasia Lloyd-Williams, on January 21, 1981, she grew up in the town of Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Dasia soon earned a reputation in Spanish Town for her powerful performances at mini concerts as a child and continued to sing at weddings and funerals as a teenager.
“It came “naturally”. I didn’t get up one day and say “you know what?” I’m going to be a singer,” she said.
A past student of the St Joseph’s High School, she teamed up with two friends to form Da-Na-Te. The group were finalists in the Tastee Talent contest but the group soon disintegrated. Undaunted, Dasia began to visit studios and hone her craft.
She scored a radio hit, ‘Down Here’ in 2001 when it became a bonafide favourite on FM radio. Recorded on the ‘Fresh Air’ riddim and produced by Mr. G, it opened several doors for Dasia. She landed several gigs in Jamaica and in international markets.
She has performed as a solo act on Sting 2003 and again at Sting 2004, Reggae in the Hills 2004, East Fest 2004, Bob Marley’s 60th Birth Celebration 2005, His Majesty Coronation Celebration 2005, and Black My Story 2007,. She has also made appearances on Sunsplash European Festival 2008, Reggae Sundance 2008, and One Love Reggae Music Festival .
During the years 2003 to 2005, she toured extensively as a back-up singer with international reggae acts Sugar Minott, Coco T and Anthony B. She also formed a close bond with the late singer Sugar Minott.
“When Sugar Minott died in 2009, things got a bit slow for me, and I wasn’t touring anymore, so I just took a sabbatical from the business but now I am back,” she said.
She has been working on a number of recordings for the indie label Ice Rush Music Group. She remixed her 2001 hit, Down Here, by putting it on a new riddim and renaming it ‘Wid We’. She has also been working out of DJ Crush’s studio, compiling a slew of new songs for her debut album.
“I have been in talks with a few US-based independent labels who are interested in it because of the buzz around ‘Wid We’. Since I re-released the song, I have been getting some spins from IRIE FM courtesy of Ron Muschette and other disc jocks on FAME and HITZ, plus overseas, so I am optimistic,” she said.
Based on the strength of ‘Wid We’, she has landed a gig on a show dubbed Jamaica’s Independence Celebration in Fort Lauderdale in August alongside acts such as Demarco, Deva Bratt and Florida-based reggae artistes.
“I really want to do a video for ‘Wid We’ because it is my most popular song to date. Right now, I am doing my own thing and
Other songs to look out for include ”Pain” released on the V1 Records label, ”Tonight Is The Night” on Max Romeo’s Charmax Label, ‘and ‘Nothing But Love” combination with I Octane done for radio DJ Tricia Wildchild.
