Playing in different cities to different cultures made singer Naomi Cowan’s first European tour a fulfilling experience. She did seven shows in four countries alongside roots singer Jesse Royal.

Cowan opened the shows which took place in Zurich, Stockholm, Malmo and Uppsala (in Sweden), Barcelona and Antwerp, Belgium on November 8 to 16.

“I asked our tour manager to give me an idea of each city and what that crowd would be like. So, for example Zurich, they definitely had a crowd that appreciated dancehall, they were more of a clubbing crowd, same with Uppsala,” she explained.

“So, what I would do is a little freestyle, a little deejaying, or have the band play a rhythm that is a fresh dancehall rhythm.”

Cowan entered 2019 with promising stocks. Her song, Paradise Plum, was a hit in 2018 in Jamaica and Caribbean markets in the United States and United Kingdom. That single earned her spots on shows like Reggae Sumfest and promotional dates in the United Kingdom. She said there was no pressure to follow-up with another chart-rider this year.

“The cool thing about Paradise Plum is that it had an extended life, in that it got exposure in different regions over time,” Cowan explained.

“I spent a couple weeks in London this summer, did some appearances and a lot of radio which was really cool because Paradise Plum came out last year,” she added.

“So, I don’t feel any personal pressure to follow-up with a big hit; the more you focus on the quality of your music, the more people will appreciate it.”

In addition to performing in Europe, Cowan recorded several songs on ‘juggling’ rhythms for producers Protoje, Frankie Music, Upsetter Records (in Germany) and Frenchie (out of the United Kingdom).

The Protoje project is called Rock & Groove Riddim which contains four vocal songs by female acts, the others being Sevana, Lila Ike and Jaz Elise. Cowan’s song on the beat is Peace of Mind.

— Howard Campbell