Camalla LaTouche ready to take on dancehall

MC and media personality Camalla LaTouche, who is known for her vibrant, commanding and captivating persona, says she is ready to make her mark as a recording artiste.

"When COVID came about, mi a seh, 'Nobody nuh see mi fi suh long, suh mi nuh affi come out wid a bang.' So I [recorded] a few singles and seh mi a go test di streets to see how receptive they are of me, and if mi still got it. I took some notes and realised that the industry nuh inna di rough supmn again as females, and after dat mi seh, 'Mi ready,'" she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Her new single, Vegetarian, has already been stirring up controversy on the Internet, following its pre-release on Monday.

"We have a banger. It's different, I sound like nobody that you've heard before [and] the street is just warming up to it, as we have a competition that's out for it. [The song] is basically showing a woman's bedroom prowess and why it is that [man] can't leave her alone. Di man dem actually love it because of the softness/seductiveness and how mi dweet," said LaTouche. She expressed confidence that she will stand out in this industry, as she is "different".

"I break records and I don't stick to the rules - for my creativity and for music. I do not feel that because it's been this way that it means I should be doing it that way, because that's gonna stifle my creativity and I'm not gonna explore," she added.

LaTouche said that from age 15, she knew she had to be an entertainer, as she used to sneak out of the house at wee hours of the night to partake in the live deejay sessions on a nearby sound system. Though her parents could not understand why she was so fond of his 'hardcore' side of entertainment, they didn't hinder her passion.

However, the passionate young teen was determined to capture a space within the sphere of entertainment, and shortly after landed the role as the host of What a Gwaan TV show. She excelled as an MC in several other areas and made her name a staple in entertainment. She even placed third in the Tastee Talent Trail competition. Before starting her solo artiste journey, LaTouche collaborated with dancehall artiste Rytikal on the track, More.

Being the ex-lover of Bounty Killer, LaTouche shut down any potential criticisms of her "riding on his fame" to achieve.

"People would've seen me in the space and mi neva get no special treatment because a mi baby daddy. I may have inherited some a di bad wid di good, but mi a duh dis from mi a likkle pickney," she said with a laugh. "The first song I wrote was inspired by Lady Saw, but because people don't know the story, they would assume. But I can't run from [being labelled] his babymother, it's a part of my history."

Forging her way into what was, at the time, a predominantly male-dominated space as an MC, LaTouche said the journey was good, but she faced a lot of opposition from male selectors who frowned on being instructed by a woman.

"I started doing something that was new [and] different, and the men weren't used to a strong, fierce woman - very sexy, very beautiful on stage, but strong and firm and rough - telling dem seh "It's time." I got disrespected several times, [to the point] where I reached my lowest," she shared. Despite her current moves, LaTouche will carry on her MC duties, and is currently booked to host 'Stars Among Stars' along with Bounty Killer on October 19. Looking at her future in music, LaTouche said her "name should be echoing in the four corners of the earth".

"I'm multifaceted and I'm still evolving, and I always want to become a better version of myself and making a change."