Nadine Sutherland is a rare but thankfully growing commodity in the Jamaican music landscape, an independent female in charge of her own budding career. Like her contemporaries Lady Saw, Tanya Stephens, Cecile, and the producer DJ Sunshine, Sutherland has chart experience and raw talent under her belt, and is ready to launch a new phase of her career.

But first, let’s rewind to 1993, when Sutherland had everyone singing, “I need some action, tender satisfaction/My chemistry is flowing, can you cause a chain reaction.” The Dave Kelly-produced song “Action” (Mad House Records), featuring deejay Terror Fabulous and Sutherland, has since become a staple of dancehalls worldwide and remains in-print on vinyl in VP Record’s reggae classics series. 

Only one album, 1997’s Nadine, followed her massive single, and after several years away from the music scene many wondered where the caramel-skinned beauty went. Now comes word that Sutherland has just wrapped shooting on the music video for her newest hit single “Big Tingz,” from her upcoming album Call My Name, in stores April 3 on Eight76 Records. With a catchy chorus of “Big tingz a gwaan tonight/Everybody in a party vibe,” it’s easy to imagine crowds once again rocking to the queen’s singing. Other tunes like “Can’t Take It,” and “Keep Me Safe” round out an album that spans all types of reggae and Jamaican music, from rootsy one-drop to dervish-inducing dancehall cuts.

Sutherland is also a renaissance woman who has worked as a newspaper columnist, television presenter, and certified fitness instructor. Dancehall needs more female action heroes and Nadine Sutherland stands ready to don her cape and soar to new heights in 2007.