Nailah Blackman (born 2 December 1997) is a Trinidadian singer and songwriter most strongly associated with the
soca genre. Her grandfather, the late Garfield Blackman, also known as Lord Shorty or
Ras Shorty I
Ras Shorty I (6 October 1941 – 12 July 2000), born Garfield Blackman and also known as Lord Shorty, was a Trinidadian calypsonian and soca musician, known as the Father of Soca and The Love Man.
Biography
He was born Garfield Blackman in ...
, invented the style of music known as 'jamoo' and is also credited with inventing soca
as a means of reinvigorating calypso music. Her mother, Abbi Blackman, is a
calypso star in her own right. Nailah is the niece of
Avion Blackman
Avion Claudette Trudy Henrietta Blackman (born 30 January 1976) is a Trinidadian reggae recording artist, and the wife of Christafari front man Mark Mohr. She has produced three solo albums, as well as providing vocals and bass guitar for Christa ...
, lead singer of the
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
-based Christian-reggae band
Christafari
Christafari is a Christian reggae band formed in 1989. It is centered on the personality of ordained religious minister Mark Mohr (born October 23, 1971), an American, born-again Christian. Until the age of 17, Mohr was a Rastafarian.
Backg ...
, and Nehilet Blackman.
[
]
Early life
Blackman grew up influenced by the sound and artistry of the musical traditions of soca and calypso sounds. At the age of five, Blackman began singing regularly and entered her first calypso competition two years later. Her professional career then began at the age of 11. She is not only classically trained in voice but also in various instruments including the guitar, keyboard and steelpan.
Career
In 2016, Blackman performed her song "Runaway Train" for Movie Towne's Pixel Play showcase. This performance raised her national profile and helped to garner buzz in advance of her 2017 releases. Blackman collaborated with soca act Kes on the song "Workout", which became a massive hit during the 2017 Trinidad carnival
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
season and continues to enjoy lasting popularity. "Workout" took Blackman to the finals of the 2017 International Soca Monarch competition.
Blackman also released "Baila Mami" in 2017, produced by Anson Pro Soverall.
In 2018, the most popular of Blackman's songs were released, including "O' Lawd Oye", "Sokah" and "Badishh", the latter featuring Jamaican dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
singer Shenseea
Chinsea Lee (born 1 October 1996), known professionally as Shenseea, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. She initially gained attention after appearing on songs by Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul, and Christina Aguilera. In 2019, she signed a recording contr ...
.
Blackman earned her candidacy in BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
's 2018 "Best New International Act" viewer's choice competition.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackman, Nailah
1997 births
Living people
21st-century Trinidad and Tobago women singers
21st-century Trinidad and Tobago singers
People from San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Soca musicians