Recording artiste Kaedi is looking to stamp Jamaican musical culture even more firmly on the global stage with her debut solo track, Seasons Changing.
The track, produced by 29 West Productions, includes contributions from Bobo Bell, Fatta Marshall, and Shvne. Both the song and its accompanying music video were released on April 4.
“I want to contribute positively to a space that has helped my writing and helped my musicality. I also think that there are voices of Jamaicans and Jamaican-Americans that are finding their footing in life and I just want to help to be one of the numerous voices of Jamaican-Americans from New York that love their heritage and just want to put Jamaica on the map. This is me giving back to my culture in one of the best ways I know how to, and I hope this will be a domino effect of me doing something substantial by helping creatives realise their talent,” the 24-year-old said.
Though Kaedi was born and raised in the United States, her parents are from rural Jamaica, and many of her relatives still live on the island.
She is also known as a member of Citizen Queen, a vocal group that has gained international attention in recent years with popular covers and compilations, including No Tears Left to Cry by Ariana Grande and Evolution of Girl Groups.
Adding that she has always had an interest in the arts, which her loved ones encouraged, Kaedi said pursuing a solo career will allow her to further expand her creativity and reach.
“I think the goal was to always release solo music, but, I think it was a matter of when and what type of music. Having this new chapter be reggae is such a full circle moment for me, as a Jamaican-American and as a lover of the culture. It’s my way of paying homage to the culture and trying to do something substantial with the things that I was raised by,” she explained.
Before launching a professional music career, Kaedi performed in church and her school choir.
“I was always a really loud alto in the choir section that the choir directors depended on, but, it was never really treated professionally as something I could do until high school and college,” she said. “I got involved in a programme called A Capella Academy for high school kids in Los Angeles that really helped to open my eyes [to] the world of music and how I listened to music.”
At A Capella Academy, Kaedi was introduced to high-level musical training and exposed to artists linked to global stars like Shakira, Katy Perry, and Beyoncé—experiences that further inspired her pursuit of a music career.
She also credits her high school’s musical theatre department with shaping her performance skills. There, she had the opportunity to play Motormouth Maybelle in a production of Hairspray: The Musical.
Now on an upward trajectory, Kaedi is confident in what she brings to the table.
“I’m a limitless artiste and it’s just a matter of when I wanna show people. Right now, is the perfect time for me to show people my reggae roots, but I’m also excited to show people what I can do in the future and how I can incorporate these roots into other records,” she said.
