Tears from The Strong One as emotions flow at Womanbition

IT was no ordinary concert. It was a showcase in which the sisters stood up and demanded to be counted. It was about sisters lending their voices for the transformation of their less fortunate sisters. So much so, The Strong One Etana broke down in tears during her performance.

The event, Womanbition, held last Sunday evening the Star Apples Restaurant on Hope Road in Kingston in commemoration of International Women's Day, was in fact an empowering seminar with musical performances from established and not-so-well-known female acts.

This all-female showcase -- the proceeds of which will be given to Mary's Child and the UNIA Nursing Programme -- lived up to its theme: Womanbition: Word, Sound & Power is the Mission.

Its main highlights included the performances of headliners Etana, Tanya Stephens, Alaine and violinist Jessica Yap of whom the crowd couldn't get enough. After a richly enticing set of Bob Marley's favourites, the audience demanded to hear more from Yap and was asked to pay for an extended performance.

Also worthy of note were the contributions of Denise 'Isis' Miller, Keteis Oyonde Brissett, Nadia Stanley, Empress (Mullings) and Nelly Stharre as both promoters and performers. No less noteworthy were the performances of Sharon Tucker (accompanied by her pair of dancers), Mary Isaacs, Sajoya and her daughter, D'Angel and Lady G.

Aiming to make a difference in the society through positive, caring actions, they all exhibited the female energies in the true spirit of talent and inspiration. The messages in the songs for most part, made the point. For present in the audience of the well attended event were residents of the Mary's Child, home for teenaged mothers, to whom the inspirational messages were directed.

Encouragement came from Alaine with her appeal to rise in hope together before she enlivened her set with We Rise. She remained connected with her performance of the Lord's Prayer and Deeper in between more snippets of inspirational reasoning to the young women in audience. Empress' set was also in the same vein

Etana sought to soothe the crowd with words of comfort while stirring souls with her songs of hope. She began with the warning number Retribution at the end of which she laughed heartily. Then she created a sing-along session with her renditions of her popular hits Wrong Address, Roots, I'm Not Afraid, among others. And then in the midst of Free, The Strong One cried.

"This has never happened before. But I turned around and I looked into one of these female faces. And I can imagine what she's been through."

Still sobbing, she continued, "When I touched her, the girl felt empty. There was nothing there. I wish I have the strength to give her...but I can do it through music, I can do it through my prayers for you which is the strong end. One thing I can tell you though, yes I'm a woman and I'm emotional," she chuckled.

"I cried but when these tears come, believe me they go to the earth, they go to the rivers. They go to places that are untouchable, unreachable by anything that is destructive. Fear not what they do and know that there's powers out there. Ladies listen...when you get on yours knees and you pray and when you believe what you praying, believe in your heart what you want to achieve. Me nuh business if you a Moslem, Jews, Christian, whatever your religion is, the Most I love you just the same...."

Etana's performance was so emotional, it almost set the tone for the rest of the evening.

"Etana, honest to God, me nah lie. You tek weh me legs dem awhile ago....honestly me understand the pain," Tanya Stephens admitted before getting into her set which was equally entertaining and filled with inspiring words.

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