Life for Tasha Gooden, aka Sidra, the 'four-star mistress', was never a bed of roses. Growing up she was robbed of her teenage years after additional responsibilities were given to her.

She spent her early years with her mother and father in the Stony Hill area of St Andrew. However, her mother migrated while she was still in her early teens, leaving her to help raise her younger sister while their father worked.

"As a teen, I was living with my father and that's a point in a girl's life when she needs to have a female figure around her," she told THE STAR. "A girl is not going to feel comfortable talking to her father about certain things," she added.

stepping stones

"I had to be both mother and big sister and this took away most of my high school years because the things that a mother would normally do, I had to do and it really affected me and my education."

Now, 29-year-old Gooden has been in the music business for more than six years and is seeking to use those years of forced adulthood as stepping stones to guide and keep her on the path to realising her dreams.

"My ultimate aim is to make a positive impact on the world, not just from a musical standpoint, but also as a person. I want to be seen as a role model," she said.

Just over a year ago, the former customer service representative made a slight adjustment to her stage name, ensuring that no controversy would arise regarding her musical career.

"I realised that a few artistes entering the music business had a name similar to mine, so I went online and searched for a name, hence Sidra - which means born a star," she pointed out.

Despite wanting to make it in the music business, Sidra knows it will not be an easy road, and is fully aware of the challenges that she will have to face.

Challenge

"I am aware of the challenges that I will have to face and I am looking forward to meeting and getting past them. I know there will be many, but I will take them one step at a time," she told THE STAR. I have come to realise that the more easy-going you are when just entering the business, the greater the challenge may be. Showing a bit more aggression just might do the trick though," she added.

She has already faced one such challenge, her first single, Losing Control, never really took off. However, she hopes that her latest recording will give her a more favourable response.

"The lack of proper promoting made it really difficult for the song to get off the ground. My new single, Tell Me, for which a video was also shot, will hopefully be my breakthrough-single," Sidra said.