The Jamaican music industry is so male dominated that when a female comes on, she has to come with a strong image and determination. When you think of what is hot as far as female artistes go on the dancehall scene, the first person that comes to mind is 25-year-old Ce'cile Charlton.
Ce'Cile was born on February 24 in Porus Manchester and grew up in Mandeville where she attended Bishop Gibson High school.
In school she liked English Language and Literature, which inspired her to write poetry. She heard Anita Baker's 'Sweet Love' and started singing it and realised that ahe had talent at a young age. This caused her to go back to her poems and put melodies to them.
When she was 14 she recorded her first song for Ibo Cooper of Third World who was a friend of her father. When she left school she got a job at Celestial Sounds where she was first the studio's secretary before moving on to studio manager. She would do back up for artistes like Spanner Banner and Christini.
Her first spot in the limelight was a cover she did for Jeniffer Lopez's 'If you had my love' on the Latino Rhythm. She recorded it at Celestial Sounds on the Kings of Kings label. She then did Changez, the song that made her.
Since Changez she has done such songs as 'My Dime', 'Playa', 'Good Times' and 'Get Yuh Tonight' with Vegas among others. Ce'cile and Skata produced the Double Jeopardy rhythm on which she presently has two two hot singles -- 'Sweetest Feeling' and 'Bad gal bad man' which features Elephant Man. She and Skata also produced the Chiney Gal Rhythm that Changez was on.
Ce'cile is currently working on her album and in the future she says that she would like to produce as well as manage a small group. She has already produced for artistes like Frisco Kid, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Lady Saw and Elephant Man.
In 2000 she got Best Female Artiste of 2000 from X News and the Star. She also got Best New Female Artiste from Stone Love and Female Artiste of 2000 at the Reggae Soca Music awards.
In the last two months she has done shows such as Irie Jam showcase in the Paladium in California with Baby Cham and Lady Saw, Marsha and Shaggy as well as a show last month with Bounti Killa. She has shows coming up at the Martin International at the Jamaica Grande Hotel and she will also be on Pier 1 at the Hottie Hottie 2001 along with Mr Lex, Frisco Kid and Silva Kid on May 19. On that same day she'll be signing autographs at the Teen Splash Youth Link up in Montego Bay from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
To find ou more about her visit her site at www.cecileflava.com.
