SOUTH Florida singer Honorebel, who has experimented with a variety of genres in the last decade, is back with She's My Summer, a dance number.

Released on June 9, She's My Summer is currently number nine on Belgium's national chart and 43 in Germany. That's good news for Honorebel, who had the European market in mind when doing the song.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, he said he watches international charts to keep abreast of what fans are into.

"I listen to what the different countries in the world are listening to because my music is mainly for the international

marketplace. She's My Summer is very melodic, with the saxophone as well as the guitar, and gives it a tropical vibe which makes a perfect marriage with the video," he explained. "The label usually remixes the song to suit local trends for marketing purposes, while the original mix of the song is promoted in all regions."

She's My Summer is produced by Polish duo Pesco and Dave Bo. A remix, featuring platinum-selling Miami rapper Pitbull, has also been released.

Honorebel and Pitbull have done previous collaborations, including Now You See It, a hit in Europe five years ago.

While he watches markets assiduously, Honorebel said this never determines his sound.

"What's trending at the moment doesn't influence what I record, unless the producer or label asks for a specific topic. I mainly follow my vibes and what the track is telling me."

The St Andrew-born Honorebel (Richard Bailey) has experimented with different genres, including dancehall, roots-reggae, EDM and hip hop.

His latest album, Honor Roll, was released in November.
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Recording artiste OMI's hit single, Cheerleader, has been certified Gold in the United States, selling over 641,000 copies to date.
The Jamaican, who also entered the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart on Wednesday evening, told The STAR, that his next move is to achieve Platinum status in the US with the dance remix of the single.

"I appreciate the Gold. It's a great feeling to have my foot in the door. Here comes the Platinum," he told The STAR.

Cheerleader currently sits at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ahead of several US-based artistes. It is also number one on the iTunes chart.
Triple Platinum
OMI's recent achievement makes him the first Jamaican singer in three years to be certified Gold in the US market. The last time this happened was with Gyptian's Hold Yuh in 2013.
While he targets the Platinum status in the US, OMI already reached this milestone in the United Kingdom, while he was triple Platinum in Austria, five times Platinum in Sweden and Platinum in Italy.
For the US market, Platinum signifies more than 1 million copies sold, while Gold signifies more than 500,000 copies sold. Outside of the US, certification measurements based on numbers, are significantly lower. Still, reggae and dancehall artistes rarely achieve certifications even in those lesser markets.

Giving credit
Meanwhile, Cheerleader has been in a ding-dong battle with Wiz Khalifa's See You Again for the number one spot on several Billboard charts since April. This achievement, OMI says, is humbling, while also giving credit to Clifton 'Specialist' Dillon, who introduced him to the music industry.
Other Jamaican musicians have also sold decent units in recent times. Rvssian certified Platinum in 2014 for his work on reggaeton single Passion Whine that was done by Puerto Rican artiste Farruko and features Sean Paul. Busy Signal was also certified Platinum in Denmark in 2013 forBumaye.
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Naava Grey’s self titled debut album has taken five years in the making. Unlike your usual Ugandan “albums” with a hit song and three others, Naava’s album has 20 fine songs, manifesting the difference time makes.
The singer signed to South African based Rockstar 4000 label released the album at Gatto Matto in Bugolobi on Thursday night.
It was a full house of yuppies that love Naava’s Afro Soul kind of music. She performed her songs likeNteledde, Soka Lami, Aliba Wani, Ndi wano and others, back by Janzi Band.
Several artistes from across the continent feature on the album, with homeboy Mun G who has worked with Naava on several of his projects returning the favour and featuring on Mo Fire. Naava features Zambian Roberto famed for his Amarulah hit on I Will Wait and K’millian, another Zambian on Omutiima. Nigerian rapper M.I features on her Nteredde remix while South African Speedy lends his vocals to the Soka Lami hit.
Naava takes the writing credits for all the songs save for the vocals of featured artistes, with DKing of Neutriq Town producing most songs. Other producers include Andy Music, Michael Fingers, Josh Wonder and Ogopa Butterfly.

Comprising 3 hot new artistes from Africa and 3 new artistes from the UK, the category will see Cassper Nyovest (South Africa), Eddy Kenzo (Uganda), Mz Vee (Ghana) go up against George The Poet (UK), MIC Lowry (UK) and Novelist (UK).BET previously revealed that talented actors, comedic geniuses and on-screen co-stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross will be unleashing the good times as hosts of this year’s “BET Awards” 2015, taking place on Sunday 28 June at the Nokia Theatre, live in Los Angeles, CA.
The BET Awards recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 20 categories with the “BET Awards” 2015 nominations.

The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.
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SINGER Alaine is boldly declaring Ten of Hearts is her best work yet.Released last Tuesday, the set boasts 14 tracks.

The singer shared the inspiration behind Ten of Hearts.

"I started writing music for this album 10 years ago. When I thought about it, I realised that I had been singing for 10 years, professionally, and primarily about love. But further investigation made me realise that 10 signifies completion of new beginnings and that kinda where I am in my life in terms of singing, songwriting and performing. This feels brand new and complete," she explained.

For Ten of Hearts, Alaine has drawn on an impressive list of producers to bring about what she refers to as a multi-dimensional body of work which she says will surprise many of her listeners. Among the producers adding to the project are Shane Brown, Jordan McClure and David Hale for Chimney Records, Andrew 'Anju Blaxx' Myrie for UIM Records, Craig and David Harrisingh for Daseca Productions, Andre 'DJ Frass' Gordon, Tony Kelly and Dean Fraser.

"I get a great feeling when I listen back to this album. In the past, I have been accused of a sameness and predictability in my offering. There is nothing predictable about the tracks. I do the happy dance when I listen back and I am my biggest critic. I cover so many faces of love from the innocent on the track Favourite Boy to the sensual with Sugar Love, featuring Tarrus Riley. Then there are the real life experiences like the song Susanna, which was inspired by a young girl I met at the Maxfield Park Children's Home who described the abuse meted out to her. I could not get her eyes out of my mind and wrote the song. It has been a journey and I am relieved, satisfied and anxious all at the same time now that it's done," she said.

Alaine admits that previously she was wearing many hats as it related to her career and, therefore, is excited about the team she has assembled to work with on this project.

Alaine (whose full name is Alaine Haughton) first came to prominence as appearing in a television commercial and even had a speaking role in the film Clara's Heart starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Now being managed by Shane Brown of Jukeboxx Records, she is preparing from shows in the wider Caribbean and Europe to promote Ten of Hearts. But has a special love for her new-found market in East Africa.

"It is amazing the love they have for me in countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan. My last show in Uganda saw about 40,000 persons coming out to support me and I just love performing for them."

ACTRESS/SINGER-TURNED-PHILANTHROPIST Cherine Anderson, returned to the stage on Saturday night after a brief hiatus.

Popular live music series, Keesing Live, top-billed the songbird. Anderson, who is putting finishing touches on her first album, told fans she wrote several songs during the break, which she identified as introspective. She said the self-searching period was impetus for a musical resurgence.

She also lauded the mentorship of Grammy-winning musicians Sly and Robbie.

For the Keesing Avenue gig the artiste delivered new and old songs as well as popular covers.

Anderson engaged the audience with humorous monologues amid flawless vocals. A heady snippet of Madonna's Like A Virgin, a rousing duet of Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud, and an homage to Dennis Brown complemented her signature tracks such as Rebel, Haffi Come Back, and Coming Over.

Always the versatile entertainer, Anderson sang, danced and 'deejayed' to the delight of patrons. But she also took time to express gratitude to everyone who has helped with the programmes of her Reach One Child Foundation.

One of the initiatives provide financial assistance to rounded children who excel in academics, art and social services. The foundation's motto is 'Each one, teach one to reach one'.

There were also well-received sets from Nattali Rize and Notis, singer Chevaughn, and the Katalys Crew.

IF EVER there was a dancehall diva to stand up to the fellas, it’s Macka Diamond. Rising to prominence in 2003 with the single Tek Con – a counteraction to Vybz Kartel’s hit Tek Buddy – the Jamaican sing-jay continued the musical trend of delivering a woman’s take on various male artists singles.

As if living up to the saying ‘anything you can do, I can do better’, the popular artist, born Charmaine Munroe, successfully carved out a niche for herself in dancehall. And though she hasn’t shied away from the raunchy route that many female dancehall stars have taken, Macka believes that playing the fellas at their own game is one way of avoiding the ‘slackness’ path.

“When I came out, the big thing at the time was female artists counteracting a male song,” Macka confirms. “That’s what I did and I think that was an easier way for us as female artists to be seen and heard. Everybody has to do what works for them, but doing it that way meant you didn’t necessarily have to be X-rated.”

With a passion for singing that was born in her school days, Macka says that music was “the career my mind was always leading me to.” Having gone on to establish herself as one of dancehall’s most formidable females, she reflects on some of her own musical inspirations.

“Back in the day, we had Mumma Nancy and Lady Ann,” says the Dye Dye hitmaker. “I used to look up to them and say, ‘wow, I’d love to be big like them one day.’”

Still, the songstress is honest about her place in the business, admitting that it is challenging being a woman in a male dominated industry.

“The amount of female deejays has increased over the years, but it’s still a male dominated business. “I doubt that will change because I don’t think it’s as easy for female deejays to maintain what is required for them to stand out.

“Dancehall is a rough kind of music and when it comes to doing shows, the energy that is required on stage, sometimes, as a woman, you don’t always want to put out that level of energy.

“Our bodies are different and we go through changes, and once you start going through those changes, you sometimes feel like you can’t be bothered to put out that type of energy! It is very hard sometimes.”

There is also the issue of female rivalry, which, rather than being a true reflection of disharmony between artists, is often nothing more than hype created by fans.

“I’m good with a lot of them,” Macka says of her female contemporaries. “I always try and support and encourage the younger female artists. But sometimes, you know how it goes – people will try to create competition amongst some of the female artists, whether the artists themselves want to be involved in that or not. But it’s all good.”

Music aside, Macka is the mother of a 13-year-old son and boasts skills including writing and acting. She has penned four books, including the 2007 novel, Bun Him and does a spot of acting in her spare time.

Asked which film star she would want to play her in a movie about her life, she laughs: “Any one of them – as long as dem ah star!”

With plans to expand her musical repertoire and branch into the world of one-drop reggae, Macka says there are two artists she has her sights set on collaborating with.

“I’m planning to do a one-drop album and I’d love to work with Tarrus Riley and Duane Stephenson. I’m hoping to start that very soon.”

Recently in the UK performing as part of the More Life music concert at London’s O2 Academy Brixton, the singer says she’s keen to perform on more big stages.

“Doing shows like the More Life concert is the kind of thing I want to do more of; big shows on that level – not just clubs, which I’ve done a lot of.

“I’ll be performing at a music festival in Montreal later this year with about 14 bands. That’s the kind of thing I want to master; performing at bigger concerts on bigger stages. I’m keen to do much more of that.”