A Music Lover’s Guide to Jamaica, According to 5 Rising Local Artists

Born in Savannah-La-Mar, a coastal town in Jamaica’s Westmoreland parish, Anne-Share Blake—better known by her hometown-inspired stage name Sevana—is a singer and actress who has toured the globe as a solo artist. Her songs are a beautiful and bold blend of Caribbean influences and soulful R&B that are helping to expand the definition of island music (watch her 2020 “Mango” music video, and her 2022 “Lowe Mi” music video to get a feel for her vibe). This month, she’ll make her major feature film debut in Bob Marley: One Love, in which she plays Judy Mowatt, one of the I Threes (Marley’s trio of backup vocalists, which also included Marcia Griffiths and his wife Rita Marley). Her next single, “Keep Going,” is slated to release at the end of February.

Rumfest

Photo: Courtesy of the Jamaica Tourism Board

Held annually in Montego Bay, Jamaica Rum Festival—Rumfest for short—is, according to Sevana, a “star-studded event.” As the name implies, the festival is centered around good music, good rum, and a good time, with a variety of Jamaican rums on tap, including Appleton Estate, Wray and Nephew, and more (don’t sleep on the quintessentially Jamaican “Rumpari” cocktail, a popular combo of rum and Campari). All liquor aside, Rumfest is also a place where performers bring their A game. “Look out for people like Capleton and Tessanne Chin doing their best performance at Rumfest,” Sevana suggests, adding that she even gave one of the best performances of her career there last year. “I was going through a lot in my personal life at that time, and when I finished giving it my all, I cried. Rumfest has a bigger place in my heart for that reason.”

When to go: Click here for the 2024 schedule

Frenchmen Party

Twenty-five years ago, three local friends—“Juicey” (Ian Wong), “Doc” (Michael Banbury) and “TC” (Tony Campbell)—came together with a united mission: to elevate the Caribbean party experience. The result is the Frenchmen Party, a roving theme party that takes place in different parishes all over the island. Each one features a mix of live music, DJ performances from DJs like Bloodline Franco and Brush1, local food, and joyful vibes. “I’ve only been to one, so I can’t speak to all of the Frenchmen events, but it was magical…people just have fun there,” says Sevana. “Rain was falling when I went, but nobody cared. We were all dancing in the rain, and I was able to let go.”