When Jah9 sings, hearts and minds awaken. Old school blues improvisation meets hard hitting lyrical prowess in a rich imaginative blend of vocal clarity and complexity. She sings with a voice that belies the dimensions of her physical body, from a soul much older than its current vessel. Her philosophy is profoundly spiritual and her style is Jazz on Dub. Jah9 was born Janine Cunningham in the Western rural town of Falmouth to a social worker mother and preacher father. College brought her into town, the campus introduced her to Rastafarians, dub and roots reggae. Taking her childhood nickname of Jah9 she became a staple of Jamaica's progressive poetry scene, while recording demos with producer Sheldon Bernard led her to the legendary Beres Hammond. Through Hammond she signed with Don Corleone Records in 2010 and recorded the singles "Warning" and "Keep Holding On" with producer Donovan Bennett. Her breakthrough came in 2013 when her track "Brothers" shared a single with Chronixx and his song "Smile Jamaica" on the flipside, then her debut album, the aptly titled New Name, landed on Rory "Stone Love" Gilligan's label. A year later she released the compilation Singles and in 2016 she joined the VP label with her new Full length CD Simply Titled "9". Her latest album Notes to Sel is scheduled for release later this year. With several years of solid touring and headline slots on European and North American Festivals behind her in, scheduled performances in 2018 include the prestigious Sierra Nevada World Music Fest in June and Reggae and the Park in Philadelphia in August with other US and international dates pending. Jamaica's best-kept secret as Mikey Bennett of Grafton Studios once called her - is now out in the open.

"9 fulfils the promise of her earlier releases with expansive maturity, prophetic purpose and even deeper displays of warrior-goddess prowess on the mic" - Greg Tate (Black Rock Coalition)

You don't have to be an avid reggae listener to be enraptured by the hypnotic vocals of Jah9. Possessing a chilling yet bewitching vibrato evoking a young Ella Fitzgerald and a rootsy coolness à la Erykah Badu MTV Iggy

Part poet and part protest singer, all wrapped up in one beautiful dub voice. Headphone Nation