BEST known for her work on stage as an actress, Sakina Deer is now showcasing her talents as a singer in this year’s Jamaica Festival Song Contest, organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

Her musical journey began as a result of the current global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Deer, in a bid to raise spirits during the curfew and quarantine periods, started performing ‘a song a day’ and posting on her social media pages. Soon, she was being inundated with commendations as a number of people were discovering her singing talents.

“I got so much encouragement from all quarters. People like Romain Virgo were telling me they wanted to write a song for me. It got so much that a friend of mine just said to me, ‘Why not enter the Festival Song Contest?’ I flatly said: ‘No way!’ Furthermore, traditionally the festival song has been a more ‘folksy’ sound, definitely not the pop kind of music that I was into. But they persisted, my friend wrote the song We Are Jamaica and I ended up at the studios of renowned musician Jon Williams,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Deer described her experience working with Williams.

“Him ears just set different! He is able to hear things and sugges. And then, as a musician, he is so talented. I really had a lot of fun putting the song together,” she shared.

We Are Jamaica was submitted to the JCDC, and then Deer got the call that she had made the final cut.

She noted that being a finalist was exciting, but admitted she was sent into a tailspin when she heard the calibre of acts with whom she was competing.

“Mi frighten so till! I was quite surprised. As I said, I didn’t think my sound is what they would have gone for as part of the Festival Song Contest. But when I heard the rest of the finalists, a dat lick me fi six. I was absolutely floored when I realised that I had been grouped with icons of the music, including Buju [Banton], Freddie [McGregor], Toots [and the Maytals], and past winner Nazzle Man.”

“We have not met each other just yet in person. There is a group where we share information and the vibe is so good that I can’t wait to meet up with everybody. But just to think that I have been a fan of Buju for years; I was singing and dancing to his music. I have loved Shuga from she entered Rising Stars and I am in a competition with them! I have only heard snippets of each song and I am already loving them… there is that thing that Nazzle Man does at the start of his song that is just exciting. So right now, it doesn’t matter who wins; there is such a great bunch of people and music,” she added.

The pandemic has changed the traditional way the contest has been presented to the Jamaican people. But Deer noted that this is a unique opportunity for Jamaicans to rally around this cultural institution.

“Due to COVID the competition will be driven digitally. We are getting ready to shoot the music videos for the songs so persons can put visuals to the melodies. This year, given the fact that there will be no Olympics and, by the look of things, there will be no Independence Grand Gala, I believe the Festival Song Contest will be that one thing that gives Jamaicans something to feel patriotic about. We won’t be able to watch our athletes on the track and wave our flags in a pack National Stadium for Gala, but these songs have the ability to make us feel good and knock our pot cover and feel proud as Jamaicans,” said Deer.

This year’s other Jamaica Festival Song Competition finalists are: Papa Michigan; dancehall quartet LUST; Xtra Bigg; and Radix OD. The winner is expected to walk away with $3 million.