I-Kaya - file

After several years as an entertainer during which she has produced a number local hits and established a strong fan base overseas, Wolmer's girl I-Kaya is looking forward to the completion and release of her first studio album in early 2013.

I-Kaya, born Kadian Blair and who grew up in Waterhouse, St Andrew, has over the past decade created her own niche as an entertainer. Her music now in some ways reflects the early influences in her life, including the impact of Capleton, whom she said was like a second father to her. The celebrated entertainer is a friend of her father, national football representative Hugh 'Bingy' Blair. In fact, shortly after she began her career, she recorded Fire Wow with Capleton on the Martial Arts rhythm.

Over the years, she had produced hits such as Good Up, Money over Man, Amber Alert with Merciless, Hardway, and more recently, Fly Away, a song that was produced by Don Corleone on the Message rhythm.

The upcoming album is yet to be named, but she describes it as a roots reggae album that will be about life's experiences. "It will be based on everything that I have seen happening around me, social issues, things based on relationships," she said. The album that is being produced by Clifton 'Specialist' Dillon and Ryan Dillon will most likely be featuring collaborations with entertainers like Patrice, Morgan Heritage, and a reggae singer out of Portugal called Richie Campbell. I-Kaya said she met Campbell while on tour in Portugal and they recorded a song together called Love is an Addiction. She travelled to Portugal this past August to shoot the video which can be seen on YouTube.

amazed

The collaboration with Morgan Heritage, she said, came about after a member of the heralded reggae group, Gramps Morgan, saw her perform at the Youth View Awards this past February and proclaimed that he was amazed by her performance and wanted to work with her.

The most significant challenge now with the album that will also see input from the famous reggae duo Sly and Robbie, is to select 15 songs that will be on it. "Most of the songs are finished, but it's going to be hard to choose the songs as there are 25 to choose from," she revealed.

Overall, it has been a busy year for the young-but-very-experienced entertainer, who has delivered on songs that include the recent Brand New that was produced by ZJ Sparks on the Kush Morning rhythm. She recently returned from a two-month tour of Europe that included stops in Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Belgium, among others, with Alborosie and the Shenghen Clan Band. She describes the experience as amazing. "It was amazing performing before thousands of people, the love and the warmth was great," she said of the fans that she said described her as being 'soulful'.

Her attention has now turned to a new single that she has coming out called Bang Bang, a single about her personal experiences, but also about empowerment and the choices that one makes in life. She tells her fans that they are to be on the lookout for that single as she intends to leave for California soon to shoot the video for the song, with the intention of releasing both simultaneously.