Pepita makes strides in her career

Since Pepita's return to television as the hostess of the revamped Tastee Talent Trail show, she has got a positive reaction in the streets from fans and members of the public alike.

"A lot of people see me in the streets and come up to me and show me love, dem say crazy things like dem 'kiss dem television when dem see me' (laughing), so I am definitely feeling the love," she said.
Now Pepita's profile has stepped up a notch on the dancehall scene with her latest single, Roll Out, featuring Vybz Kartel earning her a modicum of buzz on the Internet and in the streets.

"It is a great opportunity to do a song with Kartel because I think he is a great entertainer, a really good lyricist, and I just love his music and ah music me a defend, mi no business wid nothing else," Pepita said.

The song, which was produced by Colin 'Bulby' York who is also Pepita's manager, has generated over 20,000 views on YouTube since its release one week ago.

"It was Bulby's idea to put both of us together, I did the song and even had another verse, but he thought the track wanted an edge and he dropped in the Kartel and it shot," the perky singer said.

"Some people say the song splice but for me, it works because mi a boast and Kartel ah endorse and ah dat him love to doah him love hype up the girl because ah dat dem love. It is a really good song, and seeing how he hasn't done anything for a year, I feel it is great we can still find stuff to put out there, yu caan stifle great talent. He is the Worl' Boss, anything him touch, turns to gold," she said.

Last year, Pepita ended her three-year stint on Intense, an entertainment show with immense teenybopper appeal. The show had won the Best Entertainment show award for three consecutive years at the annual Youth View Awards. Ironically, Pepita won the award for 'Favourite Media Personality' this year at the annual Youth View Awards even though she was no longer a part of the show.

She is embracing her new career with gusto. In fact, she recorded her first single, Luv Luv Me, in December last year on the same day she lost her job.

"The song was released in March and everybody was like wow, I didn't know you could sing, even the artistes are saying I need to do a combination song with me, I thought they wouldn't because females have a hard time in the biz," she said.

Music has always been her first passion, but the competing interests of the media put that career path on hold. "Music was my first passion, I hated art but I loved looking at it, mi caan draw, that is not my strong suit, but then I got involved in media, which I love as well," she said.

Over the years, she has been 'secretly' working on her craft and is now back on the musical path working with different producers.

"I've been singing, but I was keeping it under the radar. Kind of like honing my craft so that when I started people didn't say that ... she doing music because everybody doing it and other comments like that," she said.

(from Jamaica Star)