The Evolution of CK

“There’s just something about music that hypnotizes me…when it hits me, it’s like I’m no longer Clara..that’s when I become’C K ”. Born Clara Mkaamerica Kahwa on March 5, 1984, CK had a love for music before she could talk. “My mom said she had to stop going to church because the moment I heard music there I was heading to the altar (laughing) so I guess my love for it started then”. Birthed by Tanzanian parentage, CK was born in Baton Rouge Louisiana, USA and migrated to Jamaica in Oct 1987. She attended Zenith Prep then went on St. Andrew High School for girls. “I sang a little in high school, I was in the choir for a while then opted out. I fantasized about being the next Brandy, Monica, Toni Braxton, Janet Jackson but never saw it possible so I never chased that dream but I’ll confess I would lock myself in my room and sing the entire Brandy album, ‘Never say Never’ like it was mine (laughing) and imagine being on tour performing at sold out concerts (laughing) but I wasn’t brave enough to bringing this fantasy to life.  Thereafter, she went to UWI to acquire her bachelors in Mathematics (major) Economics (minor). “It was in my last year at UWI that I really said ok let me try a ting because my younger brother, Timothy, has been obsessed with music since he was 14. Stuck behind the computer building riddims and over the years I heard his sound evolve. So one day in the summer of 2007 while he was blasting his riddim I said timmy let write something. I sang and recorded in same day in the closet in his room and I was like ok.. so this is really how I sound..hmmm (laughing) so my musical journey really started with Timmy. After which he met the popular DJ, Supa Hype and made Supa listen to the track I did and he liked what he heard, sent some riddims , one of which was called the “Supanatural” riddim.  I wrote a song called ‘Trouble’ on it and it got a lil air play (blushing & laughing) but it was like kinda surreal hearing myself on the radio knowing that this is what I’ve been waiting for yet part of me was still dissatisfied cause I still wasn’t who I wanted to be time. I wasn’t the artiste I envisioned myself to be, I didn’t know where I wanted to go with music, I didn’t discover my sound, my image, the ‘wow’ factor that differentiated me from the other dominating female acts like Tami Chynn, Tessanne, Alaine etc. And that became real to me when I did my 1^st performance at Village Café. It was a live show that Supa had put on for young acts or artistes that he was endorsing and I started the show. I was so nervous I was shaking so hard I know everybody could tell how nervous I was. To me, it was bad and from that night I gave up ..or so I thought (laughing)”.

Dance…C K has been dancing since the age of 6. She was classically trained by Elizabeth Samuda at Vickers Dance Studio up to Grade 8 after which she joined Movements Dance Company of Jamaica at age 14 in 1998. “Movements taught me the art of performance. I had mentors like Michelle Tappin-Lee, Monica Campbell- McFarlane and other principal dancers in the company to watch and learn how to transform into different characters through dance and how to just learn to lose myself in the music and let it take me to where it & the choreographer wanted me to be. That’s where my passion for music reignited. Through working with world renowned choreographers like Christopher Huggins and some of Jamaica’s  known & breakthrough choregraphers , Michael Holgate, Neila Ebanks, Joni McCalla, Liane Williams to name a few, I became a better performer and dancer cause they pushed me to explore my other sides and really become one with music. So then I used that drive in singing. All these people helped me start my journey in recognizing the artiste that once upon a time never believe existed”.

 WHO IS CK  – “C K  stems from my initials CK but embodies so much more and takes on its own persona…as an artiste C K  is sassy, passionate, fun, sexy, vulnerable just like the many moods or styles of my music reggae, dancehall, R&B, pop”. Recently joining the ‘Ward 21’ camp, C K has worked with producers like Kunley McCarthy and Andre ‘Suku’ Gray, Timothy “Quik Keyz” Kahwa, artiste and producer Karl Morrison of Starplayer Music Label Anjublaxx of UIM Records. In September 2011, she was the opening act at the live show ‘Smokin Jacket’ alongside premier female acts as Denyque, Natalie Storm, Timberlee, Devina Burn & Kim Nain.

“ My aim as an artiste is to give you a show every time you watch me whether through the dance routines in my performance or through the passion I display while singing my songs. I want to entertain the audience with my music not just lyrically or vocally but with all of me…I want you to get lost in the music with me..” So come take a journey with her on the evolution of CK!- Contributed

I love her sound. She has great potential. Download and enjoy her music

CK – Rescue Me (Starplayer Music Group)
https://www.box.com/shared/ca520fcf72e91329b12a

CK – True Colours (Reggae Cover)(Starplayer Music Group)
https://www.box.com/shared/d02448db9c7b90033a35

CK – Music (I am weak to you) (Wiletunes)
https://www.box.com/shared/157492264474c911d7f2

CK feat Deewunn – You got me (Wiletunes)
https://www.box.com/shared/d884ab06f95f5730a703

CK – Heartbreaker (Ward 21 Music)
http://www.box.com/shared/3e487125761a684effe8