Jah’Mila releases a brand new video and single, “Roots Girl,” just days before being recognized as one of Most Inspiring Immigrants in the Maritimes.
“Roots Girl” is a celebration of Jah’Mila’s deep Jamaican culture and the strong matriarchal energies that it comprises. Musically, the track pays homage to Israel Vibration’s “Rude Boy Shufflin” while re-interpreting the song’s central character and iconic theme. The song shifts focus from a male-centric imagery of the inner city mainstay with a worldly ego on his shoulder to that of a “Roots Girl” instead, presenting a narrative of the archetypal “artical” woman who tunes in to the intimate knowledge of herself, connects with her cultural roots and takes pride in being her authentic self. In this new self-reflective context, the song also comes to terms with how Jamaican culture is presented through popular culture, and takes the opportunity to show a different, more relaxed side.
“I always thought that my love of music would relegate me to background singing because the reggae industry is so very male-dominated. I don’t see myself in the image of the popular artists that are coming out of Jamaica right now. When you look at the mainstream acts, you start thinking about where your place is in all of it,” says Jah’Mila. “With ‘Roots Girl’ I have stopped thinking about all that noise, and instead invited people into my world. It’s an honest portrayal of who I am and where I’m from, a song about finding my voice and my place in music.”
