Spirited in her approach to communicate fitting and inspirational messages to the youth sheβs been described by critics as the truth, one who will bring about real change with her powerful and captivating voice that at times seem flawlessly pure. Rebellious in her approach to denote systematic oppression against all races Etana takes pride in being an artist, she feels strongly that her responsibility as a recording artist is to express positive vibrations in her music and from this she will graceful admit to staying the course.
Born Shauna McKenzie Etana spent her youthful days playing in the hill side community of August Town situated in the South Eastern side of Jamaica. The only daughter of a fairly large family of boys she was as curious then as she is determined now doing the mischievous things most children tend to do at an early age. Attending school locally up until 1992 when she migrated to the U.S to start a new life in the sunshine state of Miami Florida Etana was a budding achiever; she finished grade school and eventually went off to college the year after with plans of becoming a Registered Nurse.
During her studies at Broward Community College Etana became extremely passionate about music, she was consumed with the joy of creating her own mix of the different genres she would attentively listen to in her earlier years. A hardened fan of Reggae, Pop, Hip Hop and Jazz Musicians she found inspiration in Whitney Houston, Lauren Hill, Jill Scott, Sizzla Kalongi, Marcia Griffiths and the legend Bob Marley all of who eventually gave the then academic the will to explore a new and potentially more suited career in Music.
In 2000 after making a tough decision to prematurely exit college Etana attempted a shot at stardom when she joined a girl group by the name "GIFT" which was being courted by Universal Records. Sexy, Reviling and conforming to the industry stereo type of how a woman should dress Etana fell victim to her dreams of becoming a mainstream star. It wasnβt her ideal fit but she conformed to the record labels requests and gave in to her groups glamorous appeal until one day while on a video shoot for their lead single she could bear it no more, walking away from the spotlights and returning to her place of birth Kingston, Jamaica to start fresh as an entrepreneur looking to grab a piece of the Cyber Market with an Internet Cafe.
Down but not out Etana still wanted to do music but only in her own way, she wanted to send a different message and portray a more eloquent look and this opportunity came in 2005 when a friend brought her to Fifth Element who at the time was prospering from the strength of Richie Spice who was heavily booked for several American and European Tours. Auditioning for a shot at becoming the backup vocalist for Spice Etana vocally floored his management team and was handed a plane ticket to do a few shows in the U.S. The ensuing fifteen months followed with the now permanent songstress soaking up valued experience as a stage performer with performance credits in Europe and North America. Eager to make her own mark Etana boldly attempted a hit single one day while chilling with the guitar player and Percussionist from Richie Spiceβs band. The idea had been floating in her thoughts for weeks and like magic the melody for her debut smash single "Wrong Address" was born. Simple yet effective the single was a fusion of Jazz and Reggae, it was the first of its kind and in 2006 the song was rewarded with heavy radio rotations plunging it in the number 1 position of several local charts.
Describing her style back then Etana was quoted as saying "I do music straight from the heart, straight from the soul, straight from the people i see in everyday life" and so came about her second major hit Roots which was an intriguing mix of African and reggae cultural sounds fused with Jamaican Creole. The song became an anthem because of the definitive statement "You canβt water down and dilute" featured in the chorus.
Videoβs for both songs helped bring Etana to the forefront of Reggae and during the summer and winter of 2007 she made her mark as a solo artist performing on international events like Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded, ATI Live Concert, Irie Jamboree, Welcome to Jamrock and Guinness Sting. Picking up where she left off in 2007 Etana began 2008 with the same level of focus rocking the likes of an Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in late January so much so that patrons lashed the promoters for putting her on too early. A few well deserved awards in the bag Etana took home Best Female Vocalist at both the Excellence in Music & Entertainment (EME) Awards and the IRIE FM Radio Awards not to mention an award for Best Solo Female Reggae Vocalist copped at the 1st annual Reggae Academy Awards for which she had nominations in 3 separate categories.
Currently promoting her new singles "Warrior Love" and "I Am Not Afraid" off her soon to be released debut album ETANA THE STRONG ONE on VP Records Etana is boldly taking on the world of music with the help of her new management team at Solid Agency. Owner of Free Mind Music / The Best Records Etana is poised to do Reggae proud.
Queen
Etana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh watch me!
Queen, queen of the jungle!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
They were underestimating, now they're rating
But it's alright, it's al, it's alright
Cause when I'll arrive
They'll be surprised when the lion is roar
When this lion is roar
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I'm watching, even when they think I'm sleeping
Cause I'mma be too late when you see me coming
Cause when the time is right, all my enemies will be weeping
The world will know my name!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I walk in faith, I'm stepping with love
And yeah, don't walk the valley of the shadow with lights across
I'm dreaming right next to me
I'm taking control
I'm breaking, I'm breaking free with love in my soul!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle, concrete jungle yeah
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Queen, oh queen, yeah queen
It's a related queen!
Queen, queen, of the concrete jungle, concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
Oh, yeah queen, yeah, oh, oh, oh, yeah, queen!
The lyrics to Etana's song "Queen" are empowering and celebrate the strength and resilience of women in difficult circumstances. The repeated refrain of "I am the queen of the concrete jungle, lying on the scene is dangerous" emphasizes that the singer is not to be underestimated or taken lightly. She knows that she is powerful and is not afraid to use that power to protect herself and those she cares about.
The opening lines establish the singer's identity as the queen of the jungle, and she repeats this phrase throughout the song to assert her dominance and remind listeners of her strength. The second verse contains hints of vulnerability, as the singer acknowledges that she sometimes feels like she is walking through the "valley of the shadow" but maintains her faith and focus on love. The bridge emphasizes the importance of taking control of one's life and breaking free from whatever is holding you back.
Overall, "Queen" is an anthem for women who have faced adversity and come out on top. The song encourages listeners to be confident, brave, and unapologetic in pursuing their goals and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Queen, queen of the jungle!
Etana is the queen of the concrete jungle.
I am the queen of the concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
Etana is the queen of the dangerous urban terrain, and lying on the scene means staying aware of her surroundings to avoid danger.
They were underestimating, now they're rating
They were on the other side of the ...
But it's alright, it's al, it's alright
Cause when I'll arrive
They'll be surprised when the lion is roar
When this lion is roar
Her enemies were underestimating her, and now they are starting to respect her. When she arrives, they will be surprised by her powerful roar like the lioness that she is.
I'm watching, even when they think I'm sleeping
Cause I'mma be too late when you see me coming
Cause when the time is right, all my enemies will be weeping
The world will know my name!
Etana is always aware of her surroundings, even when people think she's sleeping. Her enemies won't see her coming until it's too late, and when she strikes, they will feel her powerful presence, and the whole world will take notes of her name and power.
I walk in faith, I'm stepping with love
And yeah, don't walk the valley of the shadow with lights across
I'm dreaming right next to me
I'm taking control
I'm breaking, I'm breaking free with love in my soul!
Etana is stepping with faith and love in her heart, and she's not afraid of walking through the shadows as long as there's light. She's taking control of her life, breaking free from whatever tries to hold her down with love in her soul.
I am the queen of the concrete jungle, concrete jungle yeah
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
Again, Etana reiterates that she is the queen of the concrete jungle, and staying aware to avoid danger is important in this environment.
Queen, oh queen, yeah queen
It's a related queen!
Queen, queen, of the concrete jungle, concrete jungle
Lying on the scene, is dangerous, oh!
Oh, yeah queen, yeah, oh, oh, oh, yeah, queen!
Etana is proud to be the queen of the concrete jungle, and there is no other like her. The urban environment is dangerous, and staying aware is important to remain powerful, free, and in control.
Writer(s): Kirk Andre Bennett, Aeion Hoilett, Shauna Gayle Melissa Mckenzie, Shane Connery Brown, Lamont Savory Copyright: Greensleeves Publishing Limited
Contributed by Matthew G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Colin Roach (Paralegal Services Barbados)
This is the Etana that reigns supreme, RETURN my QUEEN to the ROOTS ππΌπ΅πΆπΆπ΅πΌππ€π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
Candy Champion Pearson
"Strongest" My uplifting tune, now listen to after I read my morning Phalms and listen after my evening Phalms for the day.... LOVE Etana.. GO QUEEN! MISIU!
sugar north
this lady is soo hard.. very uplifting songs.. "i love people talk" and "reggae"
Peaches Lambert
Etana you're are a queen of raggea and I love your songs and l know all of your songs and l can sing them
knky vibes
Big respect Etana from KANAKY NEW CALEDONIA !!!
Candy Champion Pearson
Etana will be one of the host @ The IRAWMA Awards, in Fort Lauderdale Florida May 4, 2013 I understand she will also perform.... MAD A ROAD BABYYYYY!
TamikaJMusic
Love!
Candy Champion Pearson
WAT A FEELING!
Queen Lau
Nice! Listening from Port Limon , Costa Rica
Black Moonflower
ππβ€β€πΆπΆ