Guyanese Donna Makeda on a musical Mission

Mar 27, 2010 News

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Heads home for GAMA

When the curtain is raised on April 25 at the National Cultural Centre to honour Guyanese artistes at home and in the Diaspora, Canada-based Guyanese artiste, Donna Makeda, will be among the lot.
This very conscious, positive vibes, reggae queen in her own right is among the nominees who will perform for the GAMA and is promising Guyana a taste of quality reggae that is “culturally uplifting”.
“I live overseas but Guyana is and always will be home. I feel honoured to be heading back there this year to be part of the historical music awards. I believe that this is a step in the right direction for artistes to network and work together for the common good of all Guyanese artistes,” she said.
Dubbed by those in the ‘Culture Music know’ in Canada “a definite musical force to be reckoned with,” Makeda was among the lot honoured with crystals at the inaugural GAMA 2008 event in Canada. With about three albums in her repertoire, some of her singles include “Don’t you break my Heart” done on the Old Fashion Love rhythm produced by Mr. Cooper and Ras Vibes Records and “Need Some Money” which climbed the charts on Galaxie Reggae.
Another “Hold On” done in 2007 was mixed in Kingston Jamaica by the legendary Dr. Marshall of Anchor Studio.
The single “Need Some Money” was written and produced by Prince Everald and the rhythm courtesy of African Star.
Donna, though not as popular in Guyana, is no-one hit wonder. Internationally, she also received honours from the Toronto International Reggae Music Awards for “Roots & Culture” Album of the Year and on that occasion the album was for her album “Jah Ah De Rulah”. All told she has more than 14 awards to date.
Because of her musical abilities, she performed at the Calgary International Reggae Festival and created quite an impact on the 6000-strong audience with her dynamic and impressive showcase.
In August 2004, this entertainer with her talented dance cast ‘The Caribbean Dance Theatre’, created quite a stir that was much pleasing to the audience.
Her performance was referred to as “a storybook’ and “dreamlike” by the viewers, who said that it was the most memorable performance they had ever seen. Donna received the Consul General’s Award at the Guyana Awards as she was honoured for her steadfast commitment and service to the Guyanese community. She also walked away with the 2004 Female Dancehall DJ of The Year Award at the 20th Canadian Reggae Music Awards.
Donna’s other awards include: “Top Reggae Newcomer” 1993, “Top Reggae Dancehall DJ (female) 1995, 1996 and 1999 and 2003 and “Top Reggae Music Video (for her video “Jah Great Woman”) in 1995 from the Canadian Reggae Music Awards. And “Arts & Entertainment Award” for her contribution to the Arts from her home country – Guyana in 2000, and an “Artistic Award of Excellence” from the Inter-City Multicultural School of Excellence Reading Club in 2001. Donna released a 12-track album titled “Jah Ah De Rulah” which includes songs like “Come Into My Life” featuring Prince Everald, a slamming, conscious track. It also included the hit single “Make Love, Not War” featuring Roger B, “In My House” featuring Negus Morris of the Heptones, the ever popular “Folk Song Medley” and ‘Sweet Victory’ (groundation dub).
She has done opening acts for internationally renowned artistes such as Capleton, Coco Tea, Marcia Griffiths, Sister Carol, Culture, Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Michael Rose, Cutty Ranks, Yami Bolo, Anthony B, George Nooks and Louie Culture. Donna has performed extensively in Canada in places like Toronto, Brantford, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary, also internationally in Barbados, Guyana, New York and Jamaica. Her song “Sweet Victory” was Number One on the reggae charts in Miami for eight weeks while “South Africa” (from her CD “Who Can Endure” released 1998) followed closely at #2. “Jah Great Woman” also enjoyed much airplay and was #1 in Miami for six weeks.
The “Jah Great Woman” music video, which was done with the help of Videofact, was on high rotation on Much Music and played in Jamaica, Barbados and New York on selected programmes. Donna signed a licensing deal with Amiata Records in Italy for the remix of her song “Life Story” and also was involved in many stage plays where she performed as an actress, dancer and singer.
She also starred in a Documentary film titled “Roots Daughters” alongside Judy Mowatt and that film is constantly being aired on television throughout the world. She also released two music videos such as “Who Can Endure” and “Make Love Not War”.
Since 1993, this multi-talented, untiring artist has released two full length CD’s titled “Who Can Endure” and “Jah Ah De Rulah”, two cassette-albums (Who Can Endure & Sweet Victory), two vinyl-singles (Sweet Victory & Jah Ah De Rulah & Wonder Weed), one vinyl-album (for Who Can Endure), two compilation CDs with Canadian Music Week and four CD singles (Just Hurry, Money Crazy, Make Love Not War and Family Medley – Part 1). Donna has appeared live numerous times on City TV’s Breakfast Television, Entertainment News, Clip Trip, The Scene, Lunch Television, Rogers Cable 10, Soul in the City and Da Mix (Canada). This Guyanese born dread locked sing-jay is also a graduate of Trebas Institute where she received her diploma in Recorded Music Production and Multimedia and also is the proud owner of her own music label “DONNA MAKEDA MUSIC” and a quarterly music magazine called “REGGAEXCLUSIVE Entertainment News” which recently won two awards for “Top Reggae Magazine”.
Donna started singing and performing 25 years ago. Her foundation in music came from the church, which she attended when she was a little girl. Donna started out as a dancer; she was trained in Afro-Caribbean Dance, Modern Dance, Folk Dance, Kathak and Classical Ballet. At age 16, she opened her own dance and aerobics school: “Burning Flame International” Dance Troupe.
By the time Donna got to Canada, she had already been performing extensively throughout Guyana with her dance troupe. Singing at that time was just a fun thing for her. Upon sighting Rastafari, Donna took her music more seriously and began writing lyrics and practicing on sound systems, singing at various stage shows and winning many competitions.
Without a doubt, her voice is her wealth; her intellect a cultural strength, and her stage presence is an expression of royal heritage.

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