Brina will be recording a special version of a Burns song exclusively for our Burns Night Special. She first performed at the Spiegeltent in 2017, and later collaborated with Dumfries Community Choir on a subsequent project with us.

As part of our tenth edition, it felt only right to include her unique take on Burns work.

Brina is the voice of World Roots Reggae Music from Jamaica, an artiste steeped in the sounds and rhythms of her Jamaican culture sharing her music with the world.

Brina is a vibrant and captivating performer her lyrics and music are refreshing and uplifting. When Brina steps in front of an audience, she beckons them to feel enlightened and empowered.

Descended from The Maroons, Brina’s deep connection with drums and African music is as natural as her vocal expressions of freedom and justice.  Fusing together elements of her rich cultural and musical heritage using Reggae, Nyabinghi and other musical styles from the global African Diaspora, Brina brings a positive healing message to the world through her songs, singing of justice, equality, liberation, oneness and love.

Since releasing her first singles in 2010 Brina has been performing in Jamaica, Europe and Africa. Brina’s Festival performances have included major festivals such as Reggae Geel in Belgium, Rototom Sunsplash in Spain, and the Karibu Music festival in Tanzania.

In April 2012 Brina released her iconic debut album ‘Under One Sun’ with the aim of putting Roots Reggae Music with a spiritual message back on the world map.  ‘Under One Sun’ recorded and produced in Jamaica, features Jamaican legends Toots Hibbert and Sly Dunbar. This album takes you on a musical journey, with the classic sounds of; reggae, nyabinghi drumming and chanting, funky pop rock, dub, African, Latin and Brazilian grooves. Like many classic Jamaican albums embraced by fans of myriad musical genres, ‘Under One Sun’ embraces diverse musical influences, while effortlessly staying firmly rooted in the Reggae tradition. This incredible album delights lovers of music and Reggae worldwide.

In October 2013 Brina wrote and released the single ‘Seeds of Freedom’ an official campaign song for Dr Vandana Shiva’s global seed freedom environmental movement.

With her songs receiving airplay all over the world, Brina continued to push boundaries by singing in Swahili – the video for ‘Skiza’ was released in July 2014, followed by the Swahili language EP ‘Reggae Sauti Za Kiswahili’ in September 2014. Airplay in Swahili speaking Africa led to Brina traveling to Tanzania to perform in 2014, and again at the 2015 Karibu Festival in Bagamoyo.

Digging back into her Jamaican reggae roots resulted in the February 2016 release of Brina’s single and video ‘Warrior’ presented and produced by Jamaican legends Sly & Robbie – a song calling on every individual with the warrior spirit within them to feel empowered.

On November 29th 2016 the first single ‘Warmongerers By Name’ by Brina from upcoming album project Jamaica Sings Robert Burns was released. On this song Brina demonstrates the power of Jamaica’s greatest export – Reggae Music – combined with the immortal words of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns. It is a reggae re-working of a Burns anti war song written in 1791. This project, produced by Scottish producer Kieran C Murray, will feature Brina and a host of Jamaican artistes, including Ken Boothe, singing Burns songs. In 1786 Robert Burns had booked his ticket to Jamaica. Had he gone to Jamaica, this album will give a taste of how Burns’ songs might have sounded uniting Scottish songs with Jamaican music in a historical cross cultural collaboration.

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Image by Stephen Powell