Anita is not Tessanne

[Mosiah]

Anita is not Tessanne: Commentary on A(nother) Jamaican Contestant on The Voice

8:06 am, Mon November 17, 2014
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Anita Antoinette on The Voice

By Dionne Jackson Miller


Are we ignoring the Jamaican contestant on the current edition of The Voice because she’s black, with dreadlocks? Anita Antoinette auditioned two years ago on Season 3 but didn’t impress the judges enough to get a chair to turn. This time she’s made it into the Top 12 after a four-chair turn-around in the blind auditions, and some are asking “Where’s the excitement from Jamaica this time?”

It’s true that Anita’s progress on The Voice has hardly made a ripple here in Jamaica. It’s also true that this almost total silence on her achievements contrasts vividly with the rising tumult which greeted Tessanne Chin’s round-by-round successes, culminating in an Olympic-style celebration in Half Way Tree the night she won. So why is this?

http://www.rjrnewsonline.com/opinion...on-the-voice_1


Dionne Jackson Miller hosts the radio current affairs programme "Beyond The Headlines" on RJR 94 FM and "All Angles" on TVJ. An attorney at law, she has a post-graduate certificate in Media Law and a post-graduate diploma in Public International Law, and is pursuing a Master of Laws degree at the University of London. She has tutored in Constitutional Law, and Media Law and Ethics at the University of the West Indies. She’s the current president of the Press Association of Jamaica.

[Don1]

Not that I particularly follow these issues but the difference in this girl's appeal to Jamaicans over the one last year is STARK

She's clearly TOO BLACK for many Jamaicans... especially the opinion leaders in media & business circles

Mental Slavery at Work

[Lazie]

Anita is not Tessanne: Commentary on A(nother) Jamaican Contestant on The Voice

8:06 am, Mon November 17, 2014
//assets/img/stories/display_pic/default_story_img.jpg
Anita Antoinette on The Voice

By Dionne Jackson Miller


Are we ignoring the Jamaican contestant on the current edition of The Voice because she’s black, with dreadlocks? Anita Antoinette auditioned two years ago on Season 3 but didn’t impress the judges enough to get a chair to turn. This time she’s made it into the Top 12 after a four-chair turn-around in the blind auditions, and some are asking “Where’s the excitement from Jamaica this time?”

It’s true that Anita’s progress on The Voice has hardly made a ripple here in Jamaica. It’s also true that this almost total silence on her achievements contrasts vividly with the rising tumult which greeted Tessanne Chin’s round-by-round successes, culminating in an Olympic-style celebration in Half Way Tree the night she won. So why is this?

http://www.rjrnewsonline.com/opinion...on-the-voice_1


Dionne Jackson Miller hosts the radio current affairs programme "Beyond The Headlines" on RJR 94 FM and "All Angles" on TVJ. An attorney at law, she has a post-graduate certificate in Media Law and a post-graduate diploma in Public International Law, and is pursuing a Master of Laws degree at the University of London. She has tutored in Constitutional Law, and Media Law and Ethics at the University of the West Indies. She’s the current president of the Press Association of Jamaica.

Strange enough a coworker came to office this morning asking if I saw her performance. I had no idea another Jamaican was on it. He even downloaded her performance of Redemption Song for me to hear.

I will admit, after Tessane won, I haven't watched that show ... so I am guilty.

[Mosiah]

This is the first time I have tuned in since Tessanne.

Anita is just not that much a VOICE as Tessanne!

But I will vote for her still.

[Islandman]

I don't know, I wouldn't discount that totally but I think its much more to it than that.

First and foremost nobody knew about her or knew she was Jamaican until some time after the competition started. Tess already had a following and people watched from the very first show. She had a team hyping her early.

[Assasin]

It is simple to say because she is black. Tess was the first, the novelty is now off. Tess was know in certain quarters in Jamaica and they backed her 100%. Music industry insiders backed her. Before Tess I doubt many watched the voice and as usual we are only waggonist.

Anita sound good but I don't know if she is a winner, but she may have a better recording career than Tess in my opinion, she have that vibes. I will watch and support her as I did for Tess. All I can say is we a waggonist of the highest.

[Islandman]

The whole world are waggonists.

Music and entertainment industries are built on waggonism and hype. Not a Jamaican thing by any means.

[Don1]

ok boss

[Assasin]

You have to understand Tess was backing vocal for Shaggy, Jimmy Cliff etc and had a recording and performing career in Jamaica. He father and mother were in the music business at some point. Her sister Tammy and brother in law Wayne Marshall. Her husband's father is a known radio announcer in Jamaica so all this counted.

Anita don't have that strong background and she grew up partially in NY, so there is a big difference, but it is easy to say race. I bet if a black "Marley" enter, you would know by now.

[Islandman]

I know all that Sass, I don't think light skin/dark skin is the primary factor in the difference, but I don't know if I would go as far as to say it played absolutely no role either. It is difficult to say, sometimes these reactions are triggered subconsciously.

Just the fact that Tess is an uptowner of Asian ethnicity that sings like she does is something that people find interesting, and that helps.

My point is only that waggonism always hepls with entertainment.

[Assasin]

yeah I understand very much, the above I post was not really a direct answer to you still but what I am saying is she has a built in Promo crew to help with your promotion when you have Jimmy Cliff, Shaggy and Bolt appearing on your behalf. When you have Father-in-Law and co-worker to hype you on the radio. Not discounting the fact that some Chinese started to own her and the fact that she started in a better place than most of us.

Don't think Anita is that connected, but gwaan do your thing young lady.

[Time]

It is simple to say because she is black. Tess was the first, the novelty is now off. Tess was know in certain quarters in Jamaica and they backed her 100%. Music industry insiders backed her. Before Tess I doubt many watched the voice and as usual we are only waggonist.

Anita sound good but I don't know if she is a winner, but she may have a better recording career than Tess in my opinion, she have that vibes. I will watch and support her as I did for Tess. All I can say is we a waggonist of the highest.

The people who are playing the race card are talking crap. Tess had Wayne Marshall, Shaggy and her own fans in Jamaica backing her. Anita left Jamaica at age 6 for Boston, who in Jamaica knows her?

[Islandman]

Agreed, the social media push especially made a big difference. Shaggy was calling well known people all over the place to give her a big up.

That is essentially what Dionne is saying as well.

[Jangle]

The "real" reasons are:

The Voice was/is not very popular within the Jamaican community before and after Tessanne.

Tessanne was already established and known within the music industry and within the Jamaican market.

Anita does not have a special voice that we haven't heard before. Truthfully, she just sounds like any ordinary singer doing reggae songs. On top of that, she is not as pleasing on the eyes as Tessanne. Actually, she fits the stereotypical American image of a black dreadlocked girl from the islands singing Bob Marley reggae.

We are tired of The Voice. There has been two full season of the show within one year of Tessanne winning it.

[Islandman]

On top of that, she is not as pleasing on the eyes as Tessanne. Actually, she fits the stereotypical American image of a black dreadlocked girl from the islands

Jangle you do realise that what you have suggested here is exactly what some people are talking about?