Etana more excited by second reggae award nod

'It's exciting times!' an exuberant Etana told THE STAR regarding her second Grammy nomination in three years.

On Tuesday, the nominations for the 64th Grammy Awards were announced via a global livestream, and Etana's Pamoja headed the list of six nominations in the Best Reggae Album category. THE STAR spoke with her moments after she found out and, her joy was indescribable.

"I found out when Andre [her husband] sent me a text, then he called and said congratulations. Then the same person who called me the first time called again. Lol! I'm soooo elated. Even more excited than I was before on the first nomination," she shared.

Other albums receiving a nomination were Positive Vibration, Gramps Morgan's solo effort; Live and Livin by Sean Paul, which features a slew of artistes; Royal by Jesse Royal; Beauty in the Silence by California reggae band, Soja; and 10, the debut album by Dancehall Queen Spice.

"All music lovers who thought this one was worthy of a nomination, thank you so much for recognising my hard work and that of my team and all the other artistes on this one. This is my fourth independent project and, to everyone who helped in the process of creating Pamoja, thank you so much! I love you all," Etana added.

She had special words for Spice, who now joins the handful of women who have been nominated for the prestigious Reggae Grammy award.

"Cheers to Spice on her first nomination. It's exciting times! I know the feeling. Congratulations to all the nominees," said Etana, who broke the drought of female nominees when her Reggae Forever album was nominated in 2018.

On Pamoja, which is a Swahili word meaning 'together', Etana does collaborations with artistes including Vybz Kartel and Ghanaian Afropop dancehall-reggae singer Stonebwoy. She also does a cover of the classic, Malaika, by South African singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba.

She shouted out a long list of people who helped to take Pamoja into Grammy territory and all the other nominees in the category. The 64th Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on January 31, 2022, at the Crypto.com Arena (which will change its name from the Staples Center next month) in Los Angeles, California.

Y.P.