Two years ago when she was the opening act for reggae band Earthkry’s European tour, singer Janeel Mills says that experience was an eye-opener for her.

“I learnt a lot from that experience. Going out there in the world and performing before a large crowd that shows appreciation for reggae music can be a bit overwhelming,” said Mills in a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Last month, she opened five shows on singer Romain Virgo’s tour of the United Kingdom.

That experience, she shares, was life-changing and she is grateful for the experience.

“Touring with the incomparable artiste Romain Virgo was electrifying. I was honoured and grateful to be working alongside this humble and loving soul. Tori Lattore and I currently are his supporting vocalists and we were given the opportunity to open his shows. Night after night we delivered, and our supporters loved what we brought to them. Performing with my musical brother and sister, hearing the screams after leaving the stage, along with meeting and greeting our supporters was the highlight of this tour,” said Mills.

The singer added: “We did five shows in five cities; namely, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London, and Leicester, and I did a full set comprising original material.”

She spoke about being the opening act for Earthkry’s tour a few years ago.

“I was the only female on that tour at the time and I was well taken care of. I had gotten a lot of teaching from them as it relates to performance and also knowing the ins and outs of this music industry,” Mills shared.

She recently released the song Holding Strong.

Produced by Phillip McFarlane, leader and keyboardist for Earthkry, the song appears on the Irie Yute Tapes label.

Holding Strong was written from a very public experience.

“I mean, the entire nation was just recovering from a pandemic. Seeing and hearing of situations like people losing their jobs, which is their main source of income, losing loved ones, and separation in marriages/relationships… that would not have been easy for any of us. My family and I were going through it as well, and this is where I decided that I had to find a way to encourage myself and others to not let those situations cloud our minds. And so, I did it the best way I knew how to, and I started writing the lyrics, ‘Jah gimme melody fi sing my song and gimme di courage in dis life fi stay strong. Holding on, holding strong,’ ” she rang out.