Miss Red: "Dancehall Is All About New Sounds"

The red-hot Israeli MC shares four tunes that have influenced her career so far.

Words: Florian Obkircher

Photos: Kasia Xacharko

Born in Jamaica in the late ’70s as reggae’s energetic little brother, dancehall is currently enjoying a worldwide renaissance, with superstars such as Diplo and Drake incorporating its syncopated beats into their hits. Further proof of the genre’s global appeal comes from one of its freshest new voices, Miss Red. The Israeli MC’s critically acclaimed debut album, KO – out now – is a sonic hurricane that combines her fierce vocals with the sparse-yet-heavy, bassladen sounds of UK production don The Bug. Here, the 25-year-old lists four dancehall gems that helped shape her style.

miss-red.com

SUPER CAT

REALITY (1988)

“Super Cat is one of the most important voices from the 1980s – the golden age of dancehall. When I heard his flow for the first time, I was like, ‘How does he do that?’ Not only does he have a great way of chatting over tracks, he sings in perfect pitch. On this tune, he talks about serious stuff, his harsh reality, but delivers the lyrics in a sweet way, creating an interesting balance. That’s something I try to achieve, too.”

TIGER

RAP PON RYDIM (1988)

“This tune sums up why I love dancehall. The genre has always been about sounding different and experimenting, and this one starts out like a weird techno tune, then gets even weirder. Tiger comes on and he’s shouting; he goes hard, he’s full of energy. The aggressive elements on my album were definitely inspired by this tune. You want to freak out? You want to work off those calories? Put on Rap Pon Rydim.”

RANKING ANN

MOONLIGHT LOVER (1982)

“Even before she sings about making moonlight love, you get the feeling this is some kinky-ass stuff. You can tell from her flow – it’s cool and laid-back. Her style is very expressive, which is something I create in my own songs, too. Ranking Ann is a true female pioneer of British dancehall music. To hear a love tune [in this genre] sung by a woman inspired me a lot, because I could relate to it more.”

LADY SAW CHAT TO MI BACK (2007)

“Lady Saw’s message couldn’t be any clearer on this raw tune: ‘Whatever you want from me, talk to my ass!’ She always makes it clear that she’s the one in power, which has been very empowering for me and other women in dancehall. Some of her songs are so sexually explicit that her performances were banned in certain parts of Jamaica. But, to me, she’s a hero for speaking her mind, being real and not giving a fuck.”

Miss Red says her album delivers the blueprint for a futuristic new dancehall style.