Biography
Dezarie is a roots reggae singer from Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, celebrated for her spiritually charged lyrics and powerful, uncompromising vocal delivery.[1][3] Emerging from the small but influential St. Croix reggae scene, she was recognized early for a unique voice that combined Rastafarian spirituality, social commentary, and a strong African consciousness.[1][3] Her faith and Caribbean upbringing deeply shaped her message, centering on liberation, justice, and reverence for Africa and the Creator.
Her recording career took off with the release of her debut album “Fya” in 2001, which immediately drew international attention to her as a new voice in roots reggae.[2][3] Close musical ties with the St. Croix band Midnite (and its frontman Vaughn Benjamin) were crucial in her artistic development: she worked with them musically and was described as having come up under their tutelage, which helped refine both her sound and her spiritual focus.[1] She went on to release acclaimed albums such as “Gracious Mama Africa,” further establishing a signature style marked by heavy roots rhythms, nyabinghi-inspired drumming, and militant yet deeply devotional lyrics.[2][3] Over time, Dezarie has earned a reputation as one of modern roots reggae’s most respected “empresses,” leaving a legacy of music that continues to inspire conscious reggae artists and listeners worldwide.[2][3]
Sistah Jahia is a contemporary French Afro‑Caribbean reggae singer who has drawn attention within the roots and nyabinghi‑influenced scene in Europe.[4] Known for songs such as “Empress On The Rise” and “Chant A Prayer,” she blends traditional roots reggae with strong spiritual and cultural themes, emphasizing her love for nyabinghi drumming and Rastafarian‑inspired messages.[4][5] Her work showcases an effort to bridge Caribbean reggae traditions with her Afro‑Caribbean identity in France, offering a feminine and devotional perspective within the modern European roots movement.
Sistah Jahia’s profile has grown in part through collaborations with established roots artists, notably a highlighted collaboration with Dezarie that brought her deeper into the international reggae spotlight.[4] Performing over roots rhythms and nyabinghi‑inflected arrangements, she frames her music as a vehicle for prayer, upliftment, and cultural affirmation, adding to the lineage of women in reggae who foreground spiritual and social consciousness. While her discography is still developing, her releases and live performances position her as an emerging voice carrying forward the tradition of spiritually grounded roots reggae in the Francophone and wider European scenes.[4][5][6]
Fun Facts
- Dezarie’s international career began immediately after her debut album “Fya” in 2001, an unusually fast rise for a strictly roots‑oriented artist.[2]
- Dezarie is frequently referred to in reggae media as a “roots empress,” underlining both her status and her explicitly spiritual, Rastafarian lyrical focus.[3]
- Sistah Jahia is described in French reggae press as a French Afro‑Caribbean singer who uses roots reggae to express her love for nyabinghi, a traditional Rastafarian drumming and chanting practice.[4]
- Sistah Jahia’s video output, including titles like “Empress On The Rise” and “Chant A Prayer,” emphasizes regal, spiritual imagery, aligning her with a broader movement of women in roots reggae foregrounding prayer and upliftment.[4][5]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Midnite (band) / Vaughn Benjamin - St. Croix roots reggae elders who guided Dezarie’s early artistic development; she is described as having come up under the tutelage of Midnite. (Early collaborations and performances within the St. Croix roots scene leading up to and surrounding her debut album “Fya.”) [Late 1990s–early 2000s[1][2][3]]
Key Collaborators
- Midnite - Key musical collaborators from the St. Croix roots reggae movement, contributing to Dezarie’s sound and live performances. (Associated with the period around “Fya” (2001) and subsequent roots productions from St. Croix.) [2001 onward[1][2][3]]
- Dezarie - Featured collaborator with Sistah Jahia, joining forces on a roots reggae/nyabinghi‑inspired track that highlights spiritual and cultural themes. (A collaborative single highlighted in reggae media as a meeting of Sistah Jahia and Dezarie.) [Mid‑2020s[4]]
Artists Influenced
- Sistah Jahia - As a leading modern roots empress from St. Croix, Dezarie provides an artistic and spiritual model for younger Afro‑Caribbean and European roots singers like Sistah Jahia, especially in the fusion of nyabinghi elements and militant spiritual lyrics. (Sistah Jahia’s spiritually focused songs such as “Chant A Prayer” and her collaboration with Dezarie reflect this lineage.) [2020s[4][5][6]]
Connection Network
External Links
Heard on WWOZ
Sistah Jahia, Dezarie has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 28, 2025 | 21:50 | Tomorrow Will Be Betterfrom Tomorrow Will Be Better | Spirits of Congo Squarew/ Baba Geno |