Etana/Umojah Nation

Soulful vocals that sound like Etta James and choppy guitar riffs traditional of reggae are staples of Etana’s music. Born Shauna McKenzie, she chose Etana as her stage name, which means “the strong one.” She belts out inspirational messages and tries to place a positive influence on her listeners. She describes her music as being “straight from the heart, straight from the soul, straight from the people and everyday life.” Her newest album I Rise explores traditional aspects of Rastafarian culture and protests violence. She performs with Umojah Nation, a local band that plays traditional Jamaican dancehall music. They play original songs like their dancehall hit “Travel” and also play covers from reggae legends like Bob Marley and Buju Banton. (Wintucky)