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Growing up in Jamaica, Debbian Barr was raised on reggae. She emigrated to the United States in the ’80s, got married, raised four children, and along the way became an accomplished martial artist.
Now, as Royal Deb on her new reggae single “Mek Way,” she is taking over the stage.
“I’m on a mission with this ‘Mek Way,’” she said. “Mek way for my entry, you know? I’m from Jamaica and I want everyone to know: ‘Hey! The Queen is here. Royal Deb.’”
In “Mek Way,” she announces her presence with a big, beautiful voice in a song and video with all the flamboyance, glitter and rocking reggae you could want.
What's my name? So mi tell dem all the same (Royal Deb)
Mi live my life wid no regrets
Boss lady and mi feel no shame
She is, she says in the song and on the phone, “a true Jamaican gyal.”
In St. Ann Parish in Jamaica, where she grew up, she said, reggae “was the heartbeat of my community.
She says in her official biograph, “Reggae didn’t just fill our dance halls, it poured into the streets creating impromptu dance parties that lasted all night.”
“I’m from Orange Hill, an Orange Hill gyal. I grew up on a farm, country life, and now I’m telling you make way for me. I got out, not that I regret it, I love where I’m from, but make way. I’m on a mission.”
The song was written for her by Andre Betts, a world-famous, multi-platinum producer, and co-writer Gravity.
She performed as a new artist at the 2024 Oracabessa Caribbean Music Festival in Queens. She has been featured in performances at clubs in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Acqua and Taverna on the Green in New Jersey and the Sugar Bar in Harlem. More are coming.
She already has another song ready to release soon.
She is now free to follow her dream of being a reggae artist.
“I want to go on the big stage, man,” she said. “I want to go on some big stage with some artists. I want somebody to see me, I want people to say ‘Wow! Let’s collaborate with her. Let’s give her something, let’s see what she have. Let’s work together.’ You know?”
She added, “And then I would like to go out on more stages to perform.”
From the song and the video, her love of performance and reggae, her pure enjoyment of her art, is obvious. She relishes what she does.
She is having FUN.
“Most of all, it’s about fun for me. I work in the day, so I have to have fun with this. This is like my outlet.”
“Mek Way” is not just an entry point for her. She wants to help make an entry point — make way — for other people from Jamaica.
“It’s not only mek way for me. I want a lot of Jamaicans, artists coming from where I’m coming, make way for their entry, too. Everybody has an entry in life, and everybody understands that it’s always one love for me, okay?”
“One love” is the Jamaican figure of speech for connection between people, mutual respect and care.
“So, I’m telling them mek way, I’m a Jamaica gyal, your true Jamaican, make way. I’m here to pick them up. That’s what part of the song say.”
Yes, mi a true Jamaican gyal
And mi comin’ wid mi own style
Yes, mi a true Jamaican gyal
Watch mi cause deh gyal dem follow we
She also has a message for other people who are starting on the path to their dreams after having already lived a full life.
“In Jamaica, we do not believe in ageism. We believe we could start anytime we want. We don’t believe in those kind of things. You could be 80 years old and get on stage. Marcia Griffith, just turn here to celebrate 60 years of singing reggae, and she’s still rocking it. You don’t give up. You don’t give up. You keep going, man. Have fun.”
“Mek Way” and Royal Deb, speaking reggae, deliver that message.
“Everybody can dance to it,” she said. “Yeah man, that’s one thing with Jamaicans, we always ready, no matter who you see, all the old people on the street, reggaeing, rocking it down.”
Dance, reggae with Royal Deb on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
“Mek Way”
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