After being off the musical scene for almost two years, gospel artiste DJ Pastor believes that she has produced a collection of work that will resonate with listeners during the season.

“I got a vision that I must go back into the studio immediately and that my musical journey isn’t finished. The last song I recorded was two years ago called Jesus Loves Me, and the Lord gave me inspiration this year to compile this lovely body of work,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Produced by Hot A Fire Productions, the five-song EP is titled Hot A Fire. Blessed Is The King, Life As A Christian, Fire Fire, Take A Look At Me Now, and J esus Loves Me make up the set.

“I’m here to blaze a fire, that’s why I named the EP Hot A Fire. The songs on the set are very inspiring and uplifting. It’s a mixture of old and new songs that I have recorded. I think people will gravitate mostly to the song Blessed Is The King. This is because it has a strong spiritual message and it was a tune that placed me second in the Tastee Talent Show about two decades ago,” she said.

DJ Pastor, whose given name is Eula May Sharpe, grew up in Bog Walk, St Catherine. She attended Tulloch Primary School and Bog Walk Secondary School in that parish.

She began her musical journey at 12 when family friends encouraged her to enter the Red Label Wine talent competition which was being held in her community.

“In the early 1990s, my family friends – Zacca and Buna – said enter the competition because you have a lovely voice. So I decided to enter and even ended up winning it. I can’t remember the name of the song, but it was based upon when we had a lot of rain that caused a lot of flooding and destruction on the island. The place went wild when I touched the stage for the first time and said: “Let me tell you about this Natural Disaster!” It was a memorable experience,” she said.

DJ Pastor migrated to London, England, in 2002 and is currently pastor for the Seventh-day Pentecostal Church Oracle of God.

She said she was not always a spiritual singer.

“Before I became a Christian, I usually sang a lot of slack songs, when I was younger. I remember one instance, while I was performing, a man reached out his hand and tried to touch me inappropriately. When I came off the stage and confronted him, he said that the type of songs that I sing will draw the wrong men to me and that the songs that I sing define my character. From that I decided a change was needed and I started singing culture songs and then transitioned into gospel music,” the pastor said.

According to DJ Pastor, aspiring musicians, like herself, should remain focused and positive despite what challenges they may face in the music industry.

“When it’s your time, it’s your time and nothing can stop you. Most importantly, always tell yourself you’re not too old or young to make it in the industry. I’m 49, and I always tell myself that there is a young woman inside of me waiting to be unleashed. You will receive a lot of criticism, but everyone must work hard for their own salvation,” DJ Pastor added.