By Dreylan Johnson

Known for pushing musical and style boundaries, 25-year-old Guyanese singer/songwriter Jackie Jaxx, born Jackie Hanover has evolved tremendously on both fronts since she first spoke with The Scene in 2011. This was more than obvious in an interview she did followed by a styling done by Ashma John of The Online Runway. This week, we caught up with Jackie again to see what she has been up to since then.

The Scene: There is a lot of talk about your personal style, which is often described as bold and unique. What advice would you give to other artistes who are still trying to develop their individual identities?

Jackie Jaxx: I believe we all know deep inside who we are and who we’re meant to be. However, we live in a world where we look to others for validation. That’s very detrimental for artists and all creative people, who need to be authentic in order to function effectively. The correlation between the songs you sing and the performer must be evident; people have to believe you. When I’m on stage, I don’t act like Jackie Jaxx. I am Jackie Jaxx. It’s scary but oh-so-rewarding.

The Scene: You had your roots singing in church but during your career you’ve explored several genres, what would you say to anyone questioning your journey from gospel to the less conservative dancehall?

JJ: Music is expression. ‘Gospel’ and ‘dancehall’ are just labels.