Famous Jamaican Women

Grace Jones began her career as a model in New York and Paris, popularizing her androgynous style. One of VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll, she experimented with disco, punk, reggae, and pop, and contributed to the 1980s’ cross-dressing movement. She later appeared in films such as Vamp.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a Jamaican sprinter who achieved international recognition in 2008 when she won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing. She then went on to win gold medals at the 2012 and 2020 Olympic Games. Counted among the greatest sprinters of all time, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also has many World Championship gold medals under her belt.

The Kingston-born American actress, who began her career with the New York Shakespearean Festival, acted in a number films and television series and won Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the crime drama Gabriel's Fire. Madge Sinclair was also a voice artist in the famous animated film The Lion King, released a year before she succumbed to leukaemia.

Cindy Breakspeare is a Canadian-Jamaican jazz singer, musician, and beauty queen. She was crowned Miss World 1976, becoming the second Jamaican to clinch the crown. She later became a recording artist and entrepreneur, founding a Rastafarian craft store called Ital Craf. She was once in a relationship with reggae musician Bob Marley that lasted until his death.

Jamaican-British singer Marcia Barrett soared to fame as part of the iconic group Boney M. Later, as a solo artist, she released albums such as Survival. She eventually launched her own record label, Xoah Records. She has also struggled with and put her career on hold for ovarian cancer.

Grace Latoya Hamilton, better known by her stage name Spice, is a dancehall singer, songwriter, and recording artist. She is one of the world's most popular female dancehall artists and is dubbed the Queen of Dancehall. Also known for her philanthropic efforts, Spice established the Grace Hamilton Women Empowerment Foundation in 2018, in an attempt to uplift young women.

The daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley and his singer wife Rita Marley, Cedella Marley dons many hats. She is not just a singer but is also a successful fashion designer, an author, and an entrepreneur. She began her singing career with The Melody Makers and now heads her father’s record label.

Nanny of the Maroons was a Jamaican resistance fighter best remembered as the leader of the Jamaican Maroons. She led a community called Windward Maroons which fought a war against the British authorities in what came to be known as the First Maroon War. In 1975, she was declared Jamaica's only female national hero by the government of Jamaica. 

Merlene Ottey is a Jamaican-Slovenian retired track and field sprinter. She represented Jamaica in international events for 24 years before representing Slovenia for 10 years. In 1993, she clocked 21.87 seconds to set the world indoor record for 200 metres; she has been holding that record ever since. Merlene Ottey is also known for winning several medals at Olympic Games. 

Tessanne Chin soared to fame after winning season 5 of The Voice. The Jamaican recording artist was born to musician parents and was introduced to music as a child. Known for tracks such as Tumbling Down and Fire, he has also campaigned to raise awareness for diseases such as Lupus and AIDS.

Remembered as the most popular member of the disco/reggae band Boney M, Liz Mitchell was born in Jamaica but moved to London at age 11. She also worked with the German cast of Hair and was part of the German pop group Les Humphries Singers. She later became a born-again Christian.

Millie Small was a Jamaican singer-songwriter best remembered for her hit song My Boy Lollipop, which sold more than seven million copies worldwide, apart from taking up the second spot on US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. The most successful Jamaican female performer of all time, Millie Small was also the Caribbean's first international recording star.

Portia Simpson-Miller is a Jamaican politician best known for her service as the Prime Minister of Jamaica on two occasions; from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2016. From 2005 to 2017, Portia Simpson-Miller served as the leader of the People's National Party. 

Cedella Booker was a Jamaican singer best remembered as the mother of Bob Marley. Booker is credited with conceiving and creating an annual music event, which came to be known as the 9 Mile Music Festival. While Marley helped popularize the festival, Cedella Booker helped spread the legend of Marley far and wide by authoring two books on her son.

Sister Nancy is a Jamaican singer and dancehall DJ. She is the first female dancehall DJ to achieve international recognition. Sister Nancy was the most popular female dancehall DJ in the world for over two decades. One of her most popular singles Bam Bam is often referred to as the reggae anthem.

Koffee is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, deejay, rapper, and guitarist. She is best known for her 2019 extended play Rapture, which earned her the prestigious Grammy Award, making her the only woman and youngest person to receive the award under the Best Reggae Album category.

Veronica Campbell-Brown is a Jamaican retired track and field sprinter who won eight Olympic medals, including three gold medals, during her illustrious career. Veronica Campbell-Brown also won three World Championship gold medals and two gold medals at the World Indoor Championships.   

Precious Wilson is a Jamaican soul singer best known for her association with the British musical group Eruption, which was an all-male group before Wilson became its lead singer. Precious Wilson left the group in the late 1970s in order to pursue her solo career. Many of her singles have been featured on several international music charts.

Dawn Penn is a Jamaican reggae singer best known for her 1994 song You Don't Love Me which became an international hit. Since its release, the song has been covered by several famous artists like Jae Millz, Hexstatic, Kano, and Ghostface Killah among others.

Jamaican-American boxer Alicia Ashley scripted history when, at age 48, she made a Guinness record for being the world’s oldest boxing champion. Nicknamed Slick, the Super Bantamweight champion had a 22-year illustrious career in the boxing world and is now a boxing trainer based in China.

Tami Chynn is a Jamaican dancer and singer-songwriter. Tami was nominated at the International Reggae and World Music Awards for Best New Entertainer Award in 2006. Apart from recording songs, Tami Chynn has also appeared on commercials for popular brands like Pepsi.

Lady Saw is a Jamaican singer-songwriter and deejay who was once referred to as the Queen of Dancehall. She has received a Grammy Award and triple-platinum certifications for her albums and songs, making her the first female deejay to have achieved such a feat. 

Nalo Hopkinson is a Jamaican-born Canadian writer and editor. She is best known for her 1998 novel Brown Girl in the Ring, which earned her the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Hopkinson's works have also earned other prestigious awards, including the World Fantasy Award. In 1999, Hopkinson was honored with the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

American-Jamaican bobsledder Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian has been part of the Olympics thrice. Her first Olympic appearance was at the 2014 Sochi Winter games. Though she is equipped with a degree in multimedia communications and advertising, she was active in track and field in university and chose bobsleigh later.

Apart from winning an Olympic gold, Jamaican sprinter Beverly McDonald has also bagged a silver and a bronze medal at the games. She has also been the 1991 World Champion. She is the sister of Jamaican runner Michael McDonald. She was also once named the Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year.

Kasi Bennett is a Jamaican-born woman known for being the long-term partner of Usain Bolt, who is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. She has a Legum Baccalaureus or Bachelor of Laws degree, earned outside the United States. She has worked as a model previously and currently works in marketing. She has one child with Usain. 

Though she began her career as a stylist, Keyshia Ka'oir is now a popular model and businesswoman, who owns enterprises related to premium-quality wigs, cosmetics, luxury clothing, and fitness items. She is also known as the wife of American rapper Gucci Mane. She was named the 2010 XXL Model of the Year.

Mary Anne Barker was an English author best remembered for her work that narrates life in New Zealand. Born in Jamaica, Mary Anne married Frederick Napier Broome, after the death of her first husband, and spent a lot of time in New Zealand where she was most prolific as a writer. 

Jamaican sprinter and bobsledder Carrie Russell not only has a World Championship title in her kitty but has also won a Summer Universiade gold and a World Relay Championship silver. She was also part of the first Jamaican women's squad to compete at the Winter Olympics, as a member of the bobsleigh team.