Meet our Artist of the Month

Every month we will feature a local artist, providing not only their background on who they really are and what they do but also giving you access to their past and present music.

We here at The Signal 284, salute our local artists and will always promote their accomplishments, and feature their music.

This month we pause and pay respect to none other than BVI's own

Kendake

Here is what she had to say when she met with The Signal 284.

Contact or follow her on:

My Story

In early November 1997, I was born on the island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands and named Candice A. Bryan. My love for the Arts began at a very tender age when reading, story writing and poetry became highlights of my life. My mother, Dawn Smith-Bryan thrifted for books very often so there was always a great story at home within arms reach. I became fascinated with great storylines and found much freedom in creating stories of my own. In my years at the Willard Wheatley Primary School, I would playfully recite my poems as raps to entertain classmates who too realized that there was some potential there. From there onward, I practiced writing every so often to sharpen my skills.

Growing up in a Christian household with Jamaican parents, my first experiences with music was Gospel and Reggae. As I grew older and curious, I began exploring other genres and found great inspiration in artists like Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill to name a few.

After graduating from high school in 2014, I attended the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College where I joined the HLSCC Stingray Singers as a vocalist. This is where I gained much experience in musical performance and even had the honor of opening for Jamaican reggae singer, Beres Hammond. It was during my final year in college that ‘Kendake’ [ken-dah-kay] was chosen as my artist name. While taking a class, "Introduction to Africa", we explored the history of Africa and its influence on today’s world. It was my first time being exposed to African history beyond the stereotypes and I was inspired. I began looking into the African origins of my given name and found that it was a Latinized spelling of the ancient Kushite title, Kendake - meaning Queen.

Even after graduating, I continued to perform as a vocalist with the band until 2018 when I decided to work towards developing my sound as an independent artist. I often participated in an ‘Art After Dark’ series held at the D’Best Cup café in Road Town, Tortola where I would share poetry and songs. Performing is very therapeutic for me, especially with live instruments. It’s the best feeling to be surrounded by what you love and share that vibe with others.

During the Covid lockdown in 2020, I began reciting some of my verses over classic hip-hop beats like ‘Ready or Not’ by the Fugees, touching on coping with the pandemic, mental health and social ills.

Later that year I released my first single, ‘Lighters Up’ followed by ‘Me & You’ and ‘Say Goodbye’. I also created the ‘Kendake Unplugged’ series on my YouTube where I share video performances.

Through my art, I hope someone is inspired to be the best version of themselves, trust the process and give thanks always and in all ways.

I look forward to building my catalog and eventually diving into other passions such as playwriting and theatrical production.