Krista Henry, Staff Reporter
Latoya Jackson - Contributed
The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) programmes and annual competitions have seen the rise of many great stars. This year, along with an ever-ready smile and a bubbly personality, 17-year-old Latoya Jackson has blown the competition away with her exceptional voice and won a one-year scholarship to the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
Latoya is the head girl at the Papine High School. She is also a very enthusiastic Christian, whose beliefs have assisted her along her musical path. "I've been a Christian now for four years and I've been singing with the JCDC for four years. I started out with the choir; we did a children's gospel piece that won third place. Then I went again and entered some solo pieces that won bronze and silver. I entered yet again three pieces in gospel and soul that won two silvers and a bronze. Individually, I have also won two golds and some silvers," she said.
"I started my music career at Haven of Hope, my church in August Town where I live. That's where my talent picked up. I found out I could sing and I dance too," she said.
One of the defining moments on her musical journey came at her school, through the encouragement of her friends. "I sang for my teacher, Layton Jones. It was a Teacher's Day and one student knew I could sing and asked me to do a piece for him. I was so afraid, but I agreed. When I'm shy I close my eyes and when I opened my eyes there was this huge crowd in front of me. The next day the music teacher came and said he heard I could sing, I should sing for him. So from there, I entered the choir and then the JCDC," Latoya said.
a lot of support
Years of hard training and support from peers have also assisted her along the way. "I practise a lot. When I'm at school and at home I find a quiet place, usually the bathroom. I write songs as well, which helps. At school I rehearse from like 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Teachers have definitely given me support and some of my friends heard about it and seh 'Yeah, that's great'. But I still have some friends give me fight, I don't know why," she said.
Through the JCDC's music festival, Latoya has been able to explore the many paths to singing success. "I won Best Female Vocalist of the year 2006 at JCDCs Music Festival. After I sang we had to leave for graduation practice. I heard afterwards that I had got the scholarship. I heard so many other voices that could compare to mine. I heard voices that made me tremble, but when I went on stage I forgot the judges, forgot that it's a competition. I was never truly surprised, but I was very excited that all the hard work finally paid off. I brought home all these medals, but I wasn't going to stop until I brought home a trophy," she said.
Although Latoya has achieved so much, she attests that the competition is not easy. "Every year the competition has got better and better and harder. It makes you wanna cry, cause it's a step further and further up the ladder," she said.
Despite being a young singer, Latoya has her mind set on what she wants to do with her life. She plans to combine her two loves, God and music. "I've thought about being an evangelist. It's what I want to do. If I want to sing, then I want to do it through Christ. I will go anywhere they want to send me to evangelise. If I sing it's definitely not the dancehall thing. Singing the truth - that is what I believe, that is what I've been doing," she said.
inspiration
"I love Yolanda Adams. I would compare my voice to hers. She inspires me a lot; she does her different things. It makes me feel that I can go on trying. She has inspired me to push. She makes me think that nothing is too high above me. I love gospel music, especially Kirk Franklin. I sing to my mood; I can put myself in any position. If I sing a sad song, then I think sad thoughts. I experience what the song is about, I sing with feeling," she said.
Latoya Jackson is enthused about going to Edna Manley, having watched numerous performances there. She is an admirer of the school and its teachers and has already planned what she is going to do. "I wanna do vocals as the main aspect and then dance," she said.
