New Artist of The Month: Meet Malkijah!

Malkijah

Meet Malkijah! Where do I start with this one??? I have been listening to this woman's BEAUTIFUL music for over a year at this point. I first heard her name maybe two years ago now. She's worked alongside one of my favourite artists, with whom she also scored one of the biggest hits of her career and a bonafide Jamaican Dancehall star, with whom she's score THE biggest; and save for the fact that she was the first (of hopefully a few) Reggae artist that I ever heard of from out of a teeny tiny French island located off the coast of Afrika, in the Indian Ocean by the name of Le Réunion: I pretty much don't know a damn thing about her. That is, besides the fact that she's WICKED, of course.

Malkijah, much like the most famous of her male peers (who I'll mention in a second), is a hybrid artist of sorts, combining her undeniable skills in both the Dancehall and the Roots arena. Seemingly equally comfortable on both sets, the DYNAMIC chantress has a skill with the word which I can't help but compare to the SAVAGELY talented Lady Sweety (and if I could get that combination??? I could die a happy man).

SUPPOSEDLY, all of those skills are on full display on her debut album, Eruption, of course I wouldn't know however, because I've been searching for it for more than six months at this point and have yet to find it for sale or anyone who has (or a tracklist, or a label, or an official release date, or a producer (although I think I probably know who that is) and DEFINITELY not a digital release). And it currently bubbles near the top of my 'most wanted album' list. The album, whose cover is absolutely beautiful, is named after Malkijah's biggest hit to date, which she traveled all the way to Jamaica to record alongside Dancehall star Mr. Vegas. They also shot a nice video:

I also noticed that, WONDERFULLY, Malkijah happened to pop up on French label Metastone's Culture Weed Him Riddim album where she appeared alongside the likes of Jah Mason, Lutan Fyah, Omar Perry, Lukie D and TIWONY, with her outstanding effort, Suvivre.

And speaking of Tiwony, it was with the WICKED chanter from out of Gwada and Jamadom, a SCATHING and underrated artist, also from out of Guadeloupe, that she voiced another very popular tune, the MASSIVE 'System D', where Malkijah DEFINITELY held her own:

So! Keep an eye and an ear out for Malkijah (and if anyone has that damn album, you tell me where you got it!) (like seriously). We're really seeing the Females stand up and be accounted for and in the face of Queens like Etana, Queen Ifrica and Dezarie, you might forget to dig deeper and see artists like Malkijah. Unfortunately, you'll do that to your own detriment because this Princess from out Réunion? Wicked artist.

Malkijah @ Myspace