Tami Chynn
Turn on the radio, and you'll hear a lot of artists from the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. But Jamaica-born reggae-dancehall artist, Tami Chynn is helping to diversify the music scene in more ways than one. (Not only is she Jamaican, but she's also a woman in a largely male genre.) Breaking barriers in music runs in Tami's family -- her mom was one of the first female trumpeters in Jamaica. But while Tami loves getting recognition in the U.S., she'll never get used to the cold. "It's awful," she says. "I feel like every time I have to go outside I have to put on all my armor." Still, she gives Americans props for their punctuality. "In Jamaica, things are so laid back that somewhere that's supposed to open at 9 [will] really open at 9:25," she says. "I like everything happening when it should." Tami's career is blossoming right on time, but she's been working for years to get her big break: She previously danced backup for Shaggy and collabrated with Sean Paul. Now, her album set for an August release and her single, "Hyperventilating," is destined to be a summer anthem. But Tami's set her sights high: "[I want to try] everything possible," she says. "If I can try it, I'll definitely do it. Acting, singing, dancing, Broadway -- everything! If I get to fly a plane, I'll do that, too." (Listen up, OutKast -- Tami's jonesin' to work with you!) Check out this ambitious chick, mon!
What bothers you most about being a girl?
In Jamaica, people don't really take [girls] in the music business seriously. But it was just a matter of people hearing my music and then going, "Wow, she's doing good stuff." Other than that, I love being a girl.
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