'even the newest stars are honored'
Irie Love
REAL NAME: Irie Love
BIRTH DATE/PLACE: Hawaii
IRIE LOVE began singing at age thirteen. She was given the name Irie by her father, an avid reggae fan and Love is her mother's family name. She grew up in Hawaii in a small town called Kailua on the island of O'ahu, where Irie was encouraged by her mother to sing solos at the family church. Her six foot-tall stature and natural beauty brought numerous opportunities for both runway and print modeling work as well.
In 1998, IRIE LOVE won a statewide talent competition. One of the judges for the contest was the CEO of Quiet Storm Records. Her first single, a reggae rendition of the Chaka Khan classic, "Tell Me Something Good", appeared on the best-selling Quiet Storm compilation ROOTS MUSIC, VOLUME 2. The label used her likeness on promotional tools by creating life-size-posters for record store merchandising throughout theHawaiian Islands. Irie became a fixture in the Hawaiian reggae scene, supporting international acts that would tour the islands such as roots reggae greats Steel Pulse and Don Carlos.
In 2000, IRIE LOVE relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her music studies at Azusa Pacific University. Her strong voice and precise pitch control soon garnered Irie work as a session and touring vocalist, singing support vocals for the likes of PINK, DAVE HOLLISTER and CHAKA KHAN. It was at this point that she partnered with Kingston, Jamaica native Lloyd Shaw and his Los Angeles based Issachar Productions label. She began writing songs and teaching herself to play the acoustic guitar. In the summer of 2006, Irie Love set up a base in Kingston, Jamaica where she had the honor of being named one of twelvefinalists in the "Irie FM Red Stripe Big BreakCompetition."
This led to a mini-tour of the island with reggae artists Tarrus Riley and Gyptian. Irie gave interviews on Hype TV, TVJ and CVM networks in Jamaica and her music was featured each week on IrieFM radio throughout the duration of the competition. Recent solo performances have included: the Western Consciousness festival in April 2006 in Savannah-La-Mar, Jamaica, the UCLA Jazz/Reggae Festival in Los Angeles in May 2006, December 2006 with the artist Fiji at the KCCN FM 100 Birthday Bash held at the Waikiki Shell in Hawaii, and her second Jamaican festival appearance at Rebel Salute in January 2007. IrieFM's popular morning DJ Elise Kelly has the song "Put Jah First" in daily rotation, making her a well-respected new voice in the competitive Jamaican reggae scene. Irie FM radio is featuring the aptly-named Irie in their marketing photos online at iriefm.net which will serve to make her one of the most widely-recognized faces as well. Numerous producers are recording IRIE LOVE on their hottest rhythms.
Most recently she voiced "Are You Feelin' Me?" on Jazzy T's "Untouchable" rhythm which includes such artiste as Sizzla and Wayne Marshall. Irie has also voiced at Freddie McGregor's Big Ship Studios where she recorded a combination with Freddie entitled, "Let Me Down Easy." His young, prolific son Steven McGregor produced "It Was Me" for the Big Ship label and it is slated for release on the Forever Riddim at the end of April 2007.
IRIE LOVE is currently working with Morgan Heritage and continues to record tracks with several top producers such as Stephen McGregor, Bobby Digital, Sly & Robbie, Christopher Birch, Mario Lawrence from Kingston adding to a powerful set of existing songs in anticipation of her full-length album, THE LIFE OF"LOVE" to be released first quarter 2008 on Gedion Music!
BIRTH DATE/PLACE: Hawaii
IRIE LOVE began singing at age thirteen. She was given the name Irie by her father, an avid reggae fan and Love is her mother's family name. She grew up in Hawaii in a small town called Kailua on the island of O'ahu, where Irie was encouraged by her mother to sing solos at the family church. Her six foot-tall stature and natural beauty brought numerous opportunities for both runway and print modeling work as well.
In 1998, IRIE LOVE won a statewide talent competition. One of the judges for the contest was the CEO of Quiet Storm Records. Her first single, a reggae rendition of the Chaka Khan classic, "Tell Me Something Good", appeared on the best-selling Quiet Storm compilation ROOTS MUSIC, VOLUME 2. The label used her likeness on promotional tools by creating life-size-posters for record store merchandising throughout theHawaiian Islands. Irie became a fixture in the Hawaiian reggae scene, supporting international acts that would tour the islands such as roots reggae greats Steel Pulse and Don Carlos.
In 2000, IRIE LOVE relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her music studies at Azusa Pacific University. Her strong voice and precise pitch control soon garnered Irie work as a session and touring vocalist, singing support vocals for the likes of PINK, DAVE HOLLISTER and CHAKA KHAN. It was at this point that she partnered with Kingston, Jamaica native Lloyd Shaw and his Los Angeles based Issachar Productions label. She began writing songs and teaching herself to play the acoustic guitar. In the summer of 2006, Irie Love set up a base in Kingston, Jamaica where she had the honor of being named one of twelvefinalists in the "Irie FM Red Stripe Big BreakCompetition."
This led to a mini-tour of the island with reggae artists Tarrus Riley and Gyptian. Irie gave interviews on Hype TV, TVJ and CVM networks in Jamaica and her music was featured each week on IrieFM radio throughout the duration of the competition. Recent solo performances have included: the Western Consciousness festival in April 2006 in Savannah-La-Mar, Jamaica, the UCLA Jazz/Reggae Festival in Los Angeles in May 2006, December 2006 with the artist Fiji at the KCCN FM 100 Birthday Bash held at the Waikiki Shell in Hawaii, and her second Jamaican festival appearance at Rebel Salute in January 2007. IrieFM's popular morning DJ Elise Kelly has the song "Put Jah First" in daily rotation, making her a well-respected new voice in the competitive Jamaican reggae scene. Irie FM radio is featuring the aptly-named Irie in their marketing photos online at iriefm.net which will serve to make her one of the most widely-recognized faces as well. Numerous producers are recording IRIE LOVE on their hottest rhythms.
Most recently she voiced "Are You Feelin' Me?" on Jazzy T's "Untouchable" rhythm which includes such artiste as Sizzla and Wayne Marshall. Irie has also voiced at Freddie McGregor's Big Ship Studios where she recorded a combination with Freddie entitled, "Let Me Down Easy." His young, prolific son Steven McGregor produced "It Was Me" for the Big Ship label and it is slated for release on the Forever Riddim at the end of April 2007.
IRIE LOVE is currently working with Morgan Heritage and continues to record tracks with several top producers such as Stephen McGregor, Bobby Digital, Sly & Robbie, Christopher Birch, Mario Lawrence from Kingston adding to a powerful set of existing songs in anticipation of her full-length album, THE LIFE OF"LOVE" to be released first quarter 2008 on Gedion Music!
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RWW FASHION FEATURE - 'BRIDGET SANDALS'
Novia McDonald-Whyte - Contributing editor Jamaica Observer
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Sandals designer Bridget say "Bridget sandals" in Jamaica and fashion watchers, as well as lovers of sexy leather straps, will smile the smug smile of those in the know. It has been, for Bridget Brown, (known by thousands as Bridget), a journey of twenty-odd years. The fact is, the leather soles of her sandals almost left her barefooted on several occasions. "It took me three years," Bridget tells SunDay to get my feet off the ground. I paid the price for not going to school. I had to endure artisans not cutting the leather properly, bad work attitude, sabotage, you name it, I went through it."
A baptism of fire, some might be tempted to add for the former Playboy Bunny. "I was a bunny between 1972 and 1977 at the Playboy Boscobel Beach," says Bridget, flashing her signature toothy smile, and still conscious of that bunny poise.
"Playboy was forced to close (no tourists were coming to Jamaica). I was forced to come back to Kingston. I had to find some means of survival. My first stop was G's One of a Kind -- an upscale boutique that sold one-of-a kind Italian shoes and clothing. I left that in May 1981, after Bob Marley's death. I sold pound-cloth for Carmen Brown of Karmen's Corner. "There I was with my scale underneath my arm, and my cushions at my side. I really never wanted to make sandals. I also made skull caps and crochet bags."
Start she did and never looked back. Bridget even found the time and finances to attend school in Milan. "I went to school out of curiosity. I wondered if I was doing something wrong. Little did I know that I was in fact doing something right. My customers are happy, the sandals are fitting right, and I, too, am satisfied. I admire what I am doing."
No idle boast. Bridget Sandals were on the runway at New York Fashionweek, and Caribbean Fashionweek. Bridget Sandals are in Barbados, St Kitts, Antigua, Lincoln Avenue, South Beach (Miami), in the Village (New York) and at Controversy -- Battersea London.
Come next season, there's the possibility of a shipment to Japan, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, and Dallas.
"You have to be skilfull to survive. It has been a 20-year fight for survival. It's a struggle to maintain quality, confidence, style, craftsmanship. Finally, you have to have integrity in business."
As the chat comes to an end and Bridget does that Bridget walk towards her taxi, and there's a feeling that the very best is still to come from this beautiful sister.
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