Tanya Stephens, even with her extensive catalogue of hits and achievements, admitted she relished rubbing shoulders in her recent collab with a living legend — Beres Hammond.

“If I had a bucket list, a collaboration with Beres would be on it. I finally have it, and I am grateful. I want people to know that this is Beres’s song and I encroached on it,” she laughed. “When the producer said he had a song with Beres, and asked if I would go on it, the likkle pickney inside me come right out. I can’t backflip at my age, but if I could have, I would have. This wasn’t a regular reaction for me; me did a ‘kin puppa lick’ inside. The way my head swell mi might really need a new wig like wah the people dem always say.”

Pride pulsating through her tone, Tanya Stephens shared that she had to show up and show out on the Beres track. The single, Love Story, tells the powerful tale of rediscovering love with a fairy tale-esque intro.

“People talk about my writing, well, check Beres’s. His pen game is impeccable. Beres Hammond writes so well, I knew I had to come correct on this track with him. Writing, as you know, means a lot to me and, doing a track with Beres, I had to measure up. I was a mess trying to come up with something I knew he would like,” she admitted. She said she eventually got a handle on her emotions when she remembered that the respect was mutual.

“Beres has always expressed admiration and love for what I do, and I appreciate that coming from an icon like him, and so being in the same room I just allowed myself to soak it all in,” she shared. “At this stage of my career I feel like a child all over and I’m just enjoying the experiences that come with this music business.”

Love Story was released on August 29 and, according to Stephens, it has been enjoying organic success. She shared that although there hasn’t been heavy promotional work behind the track, it has steadily been gaining huge traction from music lovers.

“We haven’t been doing much promotion at this point. People have just been discovering the song themselves and they have expressed that they are pleasantly surprised. It’s the best reaction when people say they stumble upon this song and they’re loving it. They’re now reaching out and asking where they can get it, and that’s heartwarming,” she told the
Jamaica Observer. “I’m in my 50s and a long time music nuh excite me so. I am so happy I got this opportunity. This was a special, once-in-a-lifetime moment. I am happy I made the list of people who have a collab with Beres, and I look forward to performing it with him.”

Stephens says she’s booked and busy for the remainder of 2025 for performances locked both locally and abroad. She plans to end the year with a bang.

“I have performances through the end of the year. I have I Love Souls at Di Lot on November 2, Charly Blacks’ show on November 8 in Priory, St Ann, among others” she shared.

— Shereita Grizzle

Tanya Stephens

Beres Hammond (Photo: Garfield Robinson)