Spirited in her approach to communicate fitting and inspirational messages to the youth she’s 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 wasn’t 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 Spice’s 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 can’t water down and dilute" featured in the chorus.
Video’s 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.
by your side
Etana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unless you mean it,
If you don't know my world will come tumbling down,
Don't promise me no moon,
Cause you can't give it,
All you got to do is treat me right.
Cause baby it don't mattered,
And you don't have to give me the world,
Without it all I'll still be your girl...
In the evening till the morning I wanna be right by your side,
After midnight till the sunrise I wanna be right by your side!
I really wanna tell you this,
When you're not around the things I miss,
Is your touch your kiss the little things that makes my heart smile...
Now I'm wishing you can come on over, tonight I really need my lover,
Cause all this time you deep inside, you're always on my mind...
You're always on my mind, ooh baby...
In the evening till the morning I wanna be right by your side,
After midnight till the sunrise I wanna be right by your side...
+ Music
The song "By Your Side" by Etana is a love ballad that expresses the longing and devotion of the singer to be with her loved one. The lyrics, "Please don't tell me you love me, baby, Unless you mean it," convey the importance of honesty and sincerity in a relationship. The singer is looking for a commitment that is real and lasting, and not just empty words that will lead to disappointment. She emphasizes that material possessions are not necessary to make her happy, and that the love and attention of her partner is all she needs to feel complete.
The chorus of the song, "In the evening till the morning I wanna be right by your side, After midnight till the sunrise I wanna be right by your side," highlights the singer's desire to be with her lover at all times. She longs for the comfort and security that being with her partner brings, and the lyrics convey the depth of her affection. The bridge of the song, "Now I'm wishing you can come on over, tonight I really need my lover, Cause all this time you deep inside, you're always on my mind," expresses the singer’s thoughts and feelings when she is away from her partner. The lyrics convey the idea that even though they are physically apart, her partner is always with her in her heart and mind.
Overall, "By Your Side" is a beautiful expression of love and devotion, highlighting the importance of honesty, commitment, and the little things that matter in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't tell me you love me, baby,
I don't want you to say you love me unless you really mean it.
Unless you mean it,
I want you to be honest about your feelings.
If you don't know my world will come tumbling down,
If you're not sure about your feelings, it could really hurt me.
Don't promise me no moon,
Don't make unrealistic promises that you can't keep.
Cause you can't give it,
I don't need extravagant gifts or gestures, just your love.
All you got to do is treat me right.
As long as you treat me with love and respect, that's all I need from you.
Cause baby it don't mattered,
Material things don't matter to me.
I enjoy living pleasures, I will take a simple kiss...
I find happiness in simple things, like a kiss from you.
And you don't have to give me the world,
I don't need you to go to great lengths to make me happy.
Without it all I'll still be your girl...
I love you for who you are, not what you can give me.
In the evening till the morning I wanna be right by your side,
I want to be with you all night long.
After midnight till the sunrise I wanna be right by your side!
I want to spend every moment with you, even late into the night.
I really wanna tell you this,
I have something important to say to you.
When you're not around the things I miss,
I miss everything about you when you're not here.
Is your touch your kiss the little things that makes my heart smile...
It's the small things, like your touch and your kiss, that bring me the most joy.
Now I'm wishing you can come on over, tonight I really need my lover,
I want you to come be with me tonight, I really need you.
Cause all this time you deep inside, you're always on my mind...
I can't stop thinking about you, you're always on my mind.
You're always on my mind, ooh baby...
You mean everything to me, I can't stop thinking about you.
Contributed by Molly N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sofi Tee
Love this girl! She sings to my soul!!!❤❤
Hannah Oron
I only discovered Etana about a month ago, but I am a fan for real! Beautiful voice, powerful lyrics!
SHAWN SPANISH 21
Great rhythm, lyrics and humble artiste. Continue to make music that will last.
Momi Sunshine
Great song , heard it on a bus coming home from work, can't stop playing it, send it to my husband overseas. Love it.
Olivia James
Honestly. Etana songs has always been an inspiration to me and what i like most about her songs strong strong women can relate to them word for word. Good work keep it all the way up:)
JaMel Manning
Yes ,
Nicole Diroma
Agreed girl! Only the strong survive, and push thru.
aleki subaru
On repeat mode... its soo sweet. bigup @etanastrongone
jose adriano da silva leite
relate to them word for word good work keep it all the way up
Catherine Vance
Amazing women. Seen her when she performed at Reggae fest here in Portland Maine back in August 2014. Love all her Music