Jamaican Women Musicians

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.