5 Questions with Lady Da Flame

“With God, all things are possible”; “Never give up. Keep going”; “You can do it”.

These guiding themes have shaped the journey of gospel-reggae singer Lady Da Flame. In fact, the latter is the title of one of her spiritually uplifting songs.

The talented singer, songwriter, and performer has made a solid impact with her genre-blending, inspirational music and she vows to keep the flame burning.

Lady Da Flame made her big breakthrough in the music business with the single God Answers Prayers, and she continues to rejoice that the song has surpassed one billion streams globally.

Always ready to give fans another wholesome song, and with Hurricane Melissa ravaging Jamaica, Lady Da Flame is once again offering hope with her upcoming track Overcomer.

“I’ve always made music with intention — to inspire people in times of need,” Lady Da Flame, whose real name is Marjorie Reid, is quoted in a press release.

“I want my songs to help carry people from despair to prosperity. We’ve faced hardship before, and I believe music has the power to lift us up again — heart by heart, home by home, nation by nation.”

Overcomer harmoniously blends reggae and gospel and is powered by strong, positive lyrics. Other faith anthems in her catalogue include I Nah Worry, You Can Do It, and Push. Her recent work includes the reggae answer track Second Time.

An award-winning entertainer, Lady Da Flame has performed alongside both gospel and reggae artistes, among them Shirley Caesar, Jekalyn Carr, Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Spragga Benz, and Khago.

A 2023 Female Artiste of the Year nominee at the Sterling Gospel Music Awards, she recently appeared on the cover of Stardom 101 Magazine’s summer 2025 issue.

Raised in Washington, D.C., and with a proud Jamaican heritage, Lady Da Flame acknowledges that she “embodies the resilience of a region that knows how to turn pain into power and hope into harmony”. This week, 5 Questions With ... got up close with Lady Da Flame.

1. Share with us a little about your musical background and why gospel-reggae appeals to you.

I come from a musical family who is also deeply rooted in religion. I grew up in the church so that’s where my natural love for gospel music comes from and also because I am a very spiritual person. Reggae music and many other genres are my culture, so I have love for those types of music as well.

2. What is the central theme of your overall message and what would you like to say to all who have been affected by Hurricane Melissa?

My theme is always to continue to be resilient, strong, determined and willing to do your best. To those affected by Hurricane Melissa, I want them to remember that we are overcomers and conquerors because of the type of people we are. Continue to stand strong and don’t give up, the outcome will be great!

3. Your forthcoming single is titled ‘Overcomer’. Who exactly is an overcomer, and who are you speaking to through this song?

An overcomer is anyone who has been through problems and struggles and has made it through. That would include us all! This song is timely and means a lot to me as I send this song out to all who have been affected by Hurricane Melissa, as well.

4. You did a tribute medley to singer Phyllis Dillon some years ago, and it hit the charts in a huge way. Why Phyllis Dillon, and were you expecting it to be so successful?

I chose Phyllis Dillon to do a tribute for at the time because I grew up listening to her and always wanted to sing over Don’t Stay Away. This song was one of my favourites. We also incorporated Perfidia, which is one of my manager’s favourites. We completed the medley with Win or Lose, a very popular [song] of hers, that I already perform in my reggae sets. The way we created the medley you could feel that this project was going to be major and would resonate with listeners worldwide. We definitely knew it would be a hit.

5. How has 2025 been for you and what are your plans to round out the year?

[The year] 2025 has been great for me careerwise. I have toured and sung among some of the greatest in the business. I have also gained many supporters and my music has spread even more globally. We are working on closing out this year dropping many new singles followed by a gospel EP and a reggae EP. I am very excited about that.

BRAWTA

What would people be surprised to know about Lady Da Flame?

Well, fun, food fact ... I absolutely love crabs!

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com