THE ‘Strong One’ Etana recently sat down with TEENage to talk about the imminent release of her third album, her experience as a new mother and general reggae and dancehall life.

Etana says her new album, Better Tomorrow, which is in keeping with her style of Reggae-Soul “because it comes from deep down”, will be released on February 26. Recorded at Tuff Gong Records, the album will have 14 tracks of all live music.

“I feel pretty good about the whole project,” she says, “the album-making process took the whole nine months [of pregnancy]”. She says the whole pregancy wonderful and “going through the whole feeling her rock when she was hungry, that was the weirdest part, like when she was hungry late in the pregnancy when she moved, my body would move like that.”

“When she was born and I saw her, I said ‘Yes she is here’,” she told TEENage, “and then I went to sleep” she adds, laughing.

After doing Sting, Behind The Screen session at Tracks and Records and Rebel Salute recently, Etana says there is more to come.

In terms of artistes, whom she would like to collaborate with, Etana says she likes Busy Signal’s style and work ethic and would love to see a show headlined by females in the music business.

To TEENagers and other young people who want to be in the music industry she says: “Spend the time and produce the first music properly, the first impression lasts. Do it right the first time. Believe in your project when you do it, then put it out there, but first you have to believe it and feel it.”

You can check out our exclusive with Etana where she talks more about other upcoming projects, young artistes and her fellow reggae and dancehall entertainers. She also tells us more about her pregnancy and the music business on the Jamaica Observer website or at YouTube.com/TEENageObserver.