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BIOGRAPHY

Overview

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Through her label Kalinga Records  , Isha Bel has produced and released several projects, these include the latest release Still A Make a Way, Second Nature  and the 2020 album  Hear Me Now ( One Woman Army ).  Isha Bel  brings to the ears of listeners higrade vibrations , poignant, unapologetic  songs of inspirations and consciousness. Hear Me Now was well received, earning excellent reviews from Jamaica Star , Vision Newspaper in Canada,WorldAReggae and Reggae Reviews and more . Reggae Record  Japan’s download store selected  it as “Album of the Week”. Zojak placed Hear Me Now on the 2020 Reggae Grammy Consideration List. She was also nominated in Reggae.Fr Intl 

Female artists of the year category.  

Vocalist,songwriter  producer & actress Natalie  ‘Isha Bel’ Walsh  is reggae music’s  journey woman living out her vision to breathe life into the songs that fill her nightly dreams. She is churning out potent songs and cutting roads across continents . The undeniably talented Isha Bel  possess  a  powerful metallic voice, reminiscent of the soulful sounds of  the early days of reggae, balanced  by the raw gritty energetic delivery  of modern  urban sounds. She is steadily building afollowing across the world. She is often compared to the members of iconic reggae group,The I Threes ,Phyllis Dillon and Tina Turner.

The consummate creative  has found a  niche in the  roots reggae and digidub scene, sometimes she  dabbles in other genres. Isha Bel writes and produces songs for herself and collaborates with  artists and groups such as Chaka Demus , OBF Sound? Dubquake Records( fr) who released her latest single Nuh Call the Police on vinyl and digital.She has a growing catalogue with  labels such King Jammy’s  Sud Sound System ( Italy ) Conscious Sounds(UK) Swiss labels Addis Records and GoldBar Records, Scotch Bonnet Records etc  and on her own label Kalinga Records.

Thebeginning

Her music is fuelled by her upbringing in the  rough and tumble environment of   East Kingston, Jamaica. She and her 5 siblings were raised   by working class  Christian parents Lorna and Donald Walsh.. Her deceased father who was a great singer inspired her immensely. Other influences came from the very active art programme at her  church and the  potpourri of sounds coming from the community. From her house she could hear the drumming of Mystic Revelation of  Ras Tafari, the chants from Miss Birdie Poco Church and Super D sound  playing the latest songs. She credits her grandmother Miss Pet and Mr.Fuzzy one of the singers & keyboardist with Mystic Revelation of Rastafari with  putting her on her first  public stage. To the chagrin of her parents she ventured in the music industry juggling university and a 9-5 job at the local newpaper Jamaica Observer. The music eventually won. Her first professional experience was with former girl group 4th Street Sista. Stints  include recurring hotel gigs, performing  in Turks and Caicos ,  Reggae  Sumfest ,  face of  Miniginon contraceptive campaign , cameo appearance in  One Love movie.When the group broke up, she did short stints as bg vocalist touring with acts  Warrior King  Iley Dred and  LMS . She then went on a lengthy break

Evolution

In 2012  she reentered the industry as Isha Bel Isha Bel is her spiritual evolution. From the day she won Irish & Chin 45 Sound clash competition with the then unreleased  track ‘Nuh Call the Police’ she has not stopped. Isha Bel focused greatly on just making songs churning out  many releases. Some of the releases include Dub Reggae ft Isha Bel vocal pack released by New York cloud based Samples company Splice.several Vinyl releases, Ancestor Song,.Bless  Jah Holy Name, Cost of Living  EP with producers in Europe and Africa. Cost of Living ep  received regular plays  by David Rodigan on BBC 1xtra & Couleur 3 fm in Switzerland. She has collaborations with Chaka Demus such as the recently released Time to have Fun on King Jammy’s Label and Beautiful Place on his 2019 album Success released by Jetstar. 

In 2016 OBF Sound released a collab mixtape which features Isha bel and  Wild life aka Nazamba. The mixtape lead to her first tour   Lightning & Thunder Europe Tour in 2017 where she  performed  in Switzerland, France Germany and Italy.Isha Bel has graced many more stages which include  opening for  Chaka Demus & Pliers in 2022 on Reggaeland Festival in Uk , Her  most cherished performance is singing her  composition Red Black and Green at the Jamaican Govt. Commemoration Ceremony of the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey at National Heroes Park. Marcus Garvey’s teachings form a huge part of her outlook

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Music is only one part of Isha bel greater vision.She is on a quest to be difference 

through her Rescue Youths Ja outreach missions  doing homework & back to school assistance in Rockfort.  .She is also part of the Theatre for Change Collective created  by Masani Productions ( Canada)  tackling  gender based violence(GBV) and mental illness issues . She played the lead of Sheba in the GBV Radio Drama To Sheba With Love  on Bess 100 Fm. Other outreach mission include going into prisons , co-director of  Back to Niceness and Back to Fest in Majesty Garden ( Back to) with Creator Family from Guyana   The 5 month long programme unearthed talents around the 3 miles area and raised funds for needy students from the communities . Winners of Back to Niceness were taken on month long tour of  Guyana. She was awarded  certificates of appreciation by Rita Marley Foundation &  Roots Foundation for her contribution to their outreach programmes

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Isha Bel is  now focused on completing RockFort Heart  album  the follow up to Hear me Now. Isha Bel promises  a deeply personal album which will  stretch the gamut of Jamaica's music. Isha Bel states that “Music is my therapist. I am just a  vessel for the universe  She represents this  fully  through  her rootsy and soulful  rubadub style.

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