Tu-Qute - Contributed

Up-and-coming female artiste Tu-Qute believes she has all the credentials to make it big in music.

The ready-to-be dancehall diva, christened Amanda Holgate, said she's determined to achieve success and referred her claims to her strong musical orientation.

The St Ann-based lyricist told THE WEEKEND STAR that her affection for music grew even more when she met dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel as a budding teenager.

"I was around Vybz Kartel from I was about 15 years old. Being around him, my love for music grew and I started to write my own songs. My cousin Faithfull (also an artiste), took me to a studio and helped me to write my first song," she recalled.

She also describes her love for music as "immense" saying that, "I choose music because it takes me away from a lot of things like pain."

So far, Tu-Qute has recorded and released singles such as Only Thing I Have, Come A Mi Yard and Sugar & Spice, which features Angel Voice. She also collaborated with 21BadGal group members Lisa Hyper and Nikita on You Make Me Sweat.

The ever-smiling, once-shy female artiste has also toured parts of Trinidad, which included several club performances and a music-video shoot for her single Roll Your Wrist, featuring soca artiste L.I.V.