Krista Henry,Staff Reporter

A mother, writer, producer and singer, Sophia Squire is bringing her conscious lyrics to the globe.

Born Karen Sophia Squire in Spanish Town,St Catherine, the talented singer grew up surrounded by music from an early age. With her mother being a strong member in the church choir, Squire soon followed in her mother's footsteps, though hers led from the church to countless studios around Spanish Town and Kingston.

After giving birth to her daughter in 1993, Squire became more determined to excel at music professionally as a means of providing for her child.

Soon after the birth of her child she started working with Kenneth Rose and Phillip 'Bully' Williams of the Miami Vice studio and Owen 'Drummy' Dalhouse of the Rhythm Kings band along with studio engineer Angel.

Squire did her first cover version of a song titled Like This and Like That but that song was never released. During a five-year stint she performed as a back up singer for reggae icon Gregory Issacs before deciding to step into the light herself. Since then, her musical journey has been hectic and often difficult, but also fulfilling.

good airplay

When the singer spoke to The STAR recently she described her sound as 'unusual'.

"It's really a cross of different genres, nothing totally new, but different. A bit of R & B, soul, reggae and acoustic," she said.

Squire has recorded songs and done performances with singers such as Jah Mason, Lutan Fyah, Fantan Mojah, Glen Washington, Warrior King, Andy Livingston, Luciano and Richie Spice, among others.

Her songs - Whatever You Gonna Do, Everyday It's the Same (Rat-ta-ta-ta-tat), Baby I Love You with Lutan Fyah and My Guns - have all been receiving good airplay.

Squire has performed to an equally good response at the recently held GT Taylor Extravaganza, at a show in Negril for Spring Break 2007 and at numerous venues in France.

Inspired by the people and community around her, Squire's Everyday It's a Struggle tells a tale of violence in Jamaica and overseas.

Recently Squire started working with veteran singer/producer Max Romeo and Shane Brown of Juke Boxx Productions, for whom she recorded the song Bloody Murder. For the future, Squire hopes to still be in music, singing and producing hit songs.