Ornella Smith’s talents are not limited to the catwalk or being captured by a camera lens. She also collaborates with musicians like Sangie Davis and roots bands like Binghistra, led by Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith.
She entered the public eye as a model in her 20s, where she appeared on runways for the likes of Mutamba, but as she would strut to the sounds of the music, her heart was skipping to another beat, she said.
“I would have started out at Pulse Models, and it is something I always had a passion for, but singing a song or being one with music always made me feel at peace,” the rising talent said in her interview with The Gleaner.
The dreadlocked beauty, standing at five feet, six inches, enjoyed a successful stretch as a petite model; but when she recognised the challenge to secure contracts in the fashion industry, she began looking down another path. Branding herself by her first name, Ornella added professional singer to her resume around 2016, when she connected with Italee Watson, which is when she decided to officially put her modelling career to rest.
Ornella, 33, expressed that her interest in becoming a background vocalist was not something she would have spoken about casually. She shared, “This definitely caught my family off guard. Even more when I decided to launch my recording career. After Pulse, I did a little freelancing, and persons thought I would continue, but I wanted to answer the calling of music.”
A NEW SPOTLIGHT
She has certainly been keeping busy, having performed live at Nanook Enterprises, House of Dancehall, Skyline Levels and at Chinna’s Inna Di Yard studio. She credits Lloyd ‘Jah Lloyd’ Shaw of the Issachar Muzik record label for playing an integral role in her exploring her vocal abilities, and is ecstatic that she was able to get her career off the runway and into a new spotlight.
Under the guidance of industry veterans, Ornella has trained her vocals and has recorded her debut single, Peace of Mind, which is a song written and produced by Sangie Davis, released through Issachar Muzik, and distributed by Tuff Gong International. Earl Smith Jr (Chinna’s son) and Delroy ‘Fatta’ Pottinger also gave a hand behind the scenes, assisting with the production and engineering of the track, she said.
The track takes on an old-fashioned style of roots reggae and soul. “It certainly makes me feel at home, because I have always admired singers like the I-Three, of which Marcia Griffiths was a part, and she is someone who I have always tried to emulate from a tender age,” Ornella said.
“I find that I gravitate to that sound of reggae, and the R&B and soul genres. When I met her [Marcia Griffiths] I was starstruck, because I respected and admired her so much. I also have always admired Etana’s strength and tenacity. Outside of reggae music, I idolise Lauryn Hill. I would love to have a chance to record with all of these women,” she added.
She revealed the meaning behind the lyrics of Peace of Mind and also explained that the song’s production comes at a pertinent time.
“I, like many persons, am looking for peace of mind. For whatever reason, coming out of the pandemic, many persons lost loved ones to Covid-19 or lost jobs; others are stressed out; and I’m simply reminding them that everyone is going through something,” she said.
“I’m honestly prepared to be in front of an audience performing the song. I’m ready and fired up,” Ornella continued.