All her life, singer and Toronto native Melissa “Ms. Boogie†Beckford has had a love affair with music. From singing in school and community talent shows in public school and as a teenager; to starring in elaborate musical theatre productions at her Scarborough high school; to penning and producing her own heartfelt, body-thumping tracks, she’s never left her first love behind.
The child of Jamaican parents, Ms. Boogie fell in love with the reggae, dancehall, ska and lovers rock tunes that she heard growing up. That, combined with her love for R&B and hip hop has filtered into what is now her signature sound.Ms. Boogie’s jazzy, soulful, reggae-infused style comes to life through her songs that document the pain and triumphs she experienced in her own life. Listeners are invited to hear the soundtrack of her life through songs such as “Sweet and Tenderly†a sensual love song; “Who (Tony)†a track sung over dramatic, syncopating dub riddim; and “Think About Itâ€, a protest to Toronto’s gun violence. Ms. Boogie’s melodic sounds come to life by her use of live instruments in her performances. The element of live music inspires her and brings further intensity and emotion to her music.Her initiation into the Toronto music scene came in 1997 when she began volunteering at CKLN radio’s all-female “Dropping Dimez†show with DJ Stash, Nat Nice and Toronto icon Jemeni. Ms. Boogie brought a unique reggae flavour to the largely hip hop-themed show. Lessons on mixing records from her brother-in-law with his own reggae sound allowed Ms. Boogie to expand her skills and deepen her love for reggae. She grew to become a student of reggae music, learning about its forefathers and studying the roots – from Clement Seymour “Sir Coxsone†Dodd, to Bob Marley, to Lloyd “King Jammy†James – the originators who created a style of music that would break all barriers.Although Ms. Boogie’s love affair with music hasn’t been all bliss, and there were times when she considered abandoning her dreams of becoming a singer, two significant events caused her to revive her musical aspirations.At one point when she was feeling particularly discouraged, Ms. Boogie prayed for God’s guidance in making her decision on whether or not to continue singing. That very night, she met Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, who both encouraged her to keep singing. “If that isn’t a sign from God, I don’t know what is,†she remembers. And in 2006, Ms. Boogie was awarded the top prize at the Honey Jam showcase in Toronto. The prize, which included free studio time courtesy of Sony BMG and her own start-up studio equipment, proved to be invaluable and helped to get her started. No doubt, these events inspired her to continue to pursue her dream.In addition to pursuing her singing career, Ms. Boogie is also returning to her musical theatre and acting roots. Beginning February 2009, Ms. Boogie will star as “Ronnie†in The West’s production of ‘Hair’ at the Oakville Performing Arts Centre. Ms. Boogie brings a passion and intensity that only she can, in a role that was originally written for a black man.Ms. Boogie’s desire is to continue to create music from her heart that speaks to people’s emotions. And as long as it’s in God’s plan, Ms. Boogie will continue to forge ahead and strive to become a successful artist.
To contact Ms. Boogie, send your inquires to:
[email protected]
