#IslandInsight: Chronicling Lady Lava’s Meteoric Rise To Fame
RAW.
RAUNCHY.
REAL.
Three words that aptly describe Kesha Rebecca Harris, known more widely by her moniker, Lady Lava.
The young artiste is still reeling from the success of her monster hit Ring Finger, which catapulted her from rising talent to household name.
During a recent interview with Your Caribbean Guide, she explained that while Ring Finger has been adopted as an anthem of sorts globally, contrary to popular belief, hers was not an overnight success.
“My journey actually started back in 2008,” Lady Lava reflects, tracing her artistic evolution from her initial foray into music to her emergence as a powerhouse performer.
It all began with a small group of friends, casually recording at Premier Studios under the guidance of Nico Duncan and Jabari Winchester. “That was the first time I ever did a recording.”
Their dancehall-inspired track gained brief airplay and even made its way to YouTube, marking a pivotal moment in her life: the first taste of what could be.
“That was the first time I ever did a recording, that was at Premier Studios with Nico Duncan and the well-known Jabari Winchester he was the first person that actually made beats and recorded us. So yes, that was back in 2008 when I did my first recording and put it on YouTube and made a music video. That was like a Dancehall, it got airplay for like one day but from this I got a little juice and I was like yes, this is what I want to be. I was you know, actually going in the studio and putting down the work and then I was hearing it so that was just a little taste…”
Lady Lava eventually parted ways with the group and continued her musical journey alone.
“You know, a lot of things changed, and I tried reggae music at some point in time…”
In 2017 she recorded If Yuh Beat It Keep It A Secret on beats from Outlaw Music which had audiences clamoring for tidbits of information about her.
“Some people thought I was Jamaican,” she recalled. “Chinee from 96.7 actually started playing my song on repeat and did some investigations to find out who I was because I didn’t have any family or friends in the music arena.”
She told Your Caribbean Guide that an interview with Chinee, led to performances outside her community. “He carried me to his birthday party, where I performed. That was my first performance outside my area,” she said.
“I’d been performing like in my area, you know, my home town… little events hosted by people who know aye, Keisha does sing, call Keisha to do a lil thing on stage. But like to see outside of my community, that was one of my first opportunities… people heard the song, they liked it so they pull it up, you know, normal thing…”
While in studio for her interview with Chinee, Lady Lava had a chance encounter that led to a collaboration with TruTime Studio.
“They said, we have a rhythm that you will do good on, I say, Okay, well, you know, you could send it to me. He said, we have one problem- you just have, like, two days to come on rhythm, because we releasing it the Sunday.”
Not at all daunted, Lady Lava went to work and the result was Tail Light.
“The response to Tail Light was huge. It went viral on Facebook before viral was even a big thing, hitting 5 million views. People were doing the dance everywhere,” she shared.
Her success with Tail Light opened doors to bigger opportunities, including the Magnum Tour.
“That was a great boost for my career. From there, I started getting more bookings and could charge a fee for performances,” she said. Tracks like If It Be and Keep It A Secret further cemented her place in the industry, propelling her from gigs in her community to performing in bars and clubs across the country.”
THE BIRTH OF RING FINGER
Lady Lava’s creative process is as spontaneous as it is thoughtful, drawing from personal experiences and everyday conversations. Her hit song Ring Finger exemplifies this unique approach.
A couple weeks ago, we chatted with Aaron Duncan who produced the monster hit, responsible for catapulting Lady Lava into the global spotlight. During our recent conversation, she gave insight into the creation of the song which has now become the ladies’ anthem.
“I had this instrumental from Aaron Duncan, but I didn’t listen to it right away,” she shared. The catalyst for the song’s creation came from a light-hearted jab from her manager.
“Dion called me one day and said, ‘Zess quiet, girl.’ I took a little offense, like, what? Zess quiet? Well, it’s time for me to shake up the place…” she recounted laughingly.
“When I played the instrumental, it was like the rhythm kinda speak to me and I come up with if you don’t have a ring then you doh have a mister and I was like yea, I like that…I kept singing that and I had an action, the hands up let me see your finger. Now,, whenever I create I always think about what action it could be associated with, probably because of TikTok…”
That’s how lines like ‘bend for the camera’ and ‘hands up, let me see your finger’ came about,” she noted.
Ring Finger quickly resonated with audiences far removed from Trinidad and Tobago.
“The song was actually from my experiences, other people experiences- things that really happened. I guess that why it related to so many women out there. The first day that we actually put the teaser out on Instagram and TikTok we got a real good response so from there I was like, alright, people liking it. The second day it went viral one time on TikTok when people started to redo it and on Instagram people started to share it… Even the comments that the ladies were making, “yuh hear that? Yuh doh have a ring, yuh doh have a mister…” really reiterating the parts of the song that hit and would be like facts…”
“The first day we teased it on Instagram and TikTok, the response was amazing. By the second day, it went viral. People started recreating it, and sharing it, and the comments from women were unreal. They were really feeling the message.”
She said at its core, the song is about empowerment and encouraging women to own their truth, this is why it struck a chord with audiences regardless of age, status or socioeconomic background.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Lady Lava said she is determined to continue to build on the momentum to further solidify her position as a consistent force within the music industry.
“I know that when you have a song like this, people will have very high expectations for what they want to hear from you or some people will want to actually put you in a range and want to only hear things from you in that range. But me, I’m out of the box, I have no issues, and I ‘m not scared about what comes next because I will always bring what I does bring, lyrical content and something you could relate to. Something the ladies could relate to, something the men could relate to. I know I have my little raunchy side where their ears go raise up, and the eyes will raise up, and, you know, I will have them going. So, it’ll be ok.”
With the countdown to Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2025 on in earnest, Lady Lava explained that there is no time to waste. She’s already released one of her offerings ahead of the season to rave reviews.
“People are liking Ms Lucy so I’m happy about that. Just expect for me come into the soca arena, bring a little bit of the lava, a little bit of the fire into the soca industry. It wouldn’t be my first time writing Soca or putting out Soca but I guess now that a lot more people know about Lady Lava a lot more people would be waiting to hear… the market becomes bigger to hear what Lady Lava has to offer.”
Lady Lava explained that she will continue to sing about issues and experiences that many may find difficult to articulate.
“I’m bringing the facts and I’m saying things that everybody else want to say but they not in a position to say it. So I’m here as their representative, and I want them to feel empowered in some of the things that I’m saying, and I also want them to be able to enjoy the other things in life and not feel shame and bad about things that we enjoy. So basically, for them to, you know, have a sense of confidence as ladies that might like different things to other people, be confident in it. And then you know I’m a thicky, so I kinda place emphasis on that- being a woman, being thick, being me but yet still I’m coming to say what it is I want to say. I know that what I am saying a lot of people does want to say it, but they probably in positions where they can’t say it. So I am here as the representative for them to say what it is they want to say. So I am working on behalf of the females, right now.”
Lady Lava on Overcoming Doubt and Defying Expectations
Asked to share one of the biggest lessons she’s learnt to date, Lady Lava said her experience has reinforced the importance of self-confidence and being able to tune out the noise from people who may be discouraging you from going after your dreams.
Reflecting on a pivotal period in her life, she shared how societal pressures and personal challenges shaped her path. “They say time is the best storyteller,” she began. “Sometimes you might doubt yourself with everything going on, but only time can reveal your true story.”
This wisdom came from her experience of balancing motherhood and her career. “When I got pregnant with my son, people had so much to say,” Lava recalled. “They were like, ‘Tail Light so big, why she choose to get pregnant now?’ They made it seem like my career was over. ‘You really want to go and make a child now, in the height of your career?’”
Despite the doubts and unsolicited advice, Lava remained steadfast. “As much as my mind is strong, when you hear so much negativity, you might second guess yourself. But nobody knows what’s ahead. Your story unfolds with time,” she said.
Her decision to focus on family during that time turned out to be a blessing. “I spent three foundational years with my son during COVID. When the world opened back up, it felt like I never left. And now, with *Ring Finger*, people see that Lady Lava didn’t fade away. I’m still here, stronger than ever,” she asserted.
Lava’s story is a testament to trusting one’s journey and silencing the naysayers. “People thought having a child would end my career, but look at where I am now. Only time could tell the real story,” she said with pride.
She had these words of advice for individuals working towards a breakthrough in the music industry:
“Always bet on yourself and believe in yourself because if you don’t bet on yourself, then it will be very hard for somebody else to bet on you, to believe in you. So if you believe in yourself, it will only generate a greater belief of other people. So whether it’s not music, if you’re doing hair and you believe in yourself, and you take a step forward, three clients will believe in you, and then those three clients will be four clients and five clients, and that’s how the businesses go. So for me, I will just tell you it’s to always believe in yourself, and, you know, bet on yourself, take a chance on yourself, and other things will fall in place. Other people will follow suit.”
Lady Lava has emerged as a fearless voice in the music industry, unapologetically owning her space.
As she continues to blaze trails, she remains committed to staying authentic, breaking boundaries, and inspiring others to do the same. Her message is clear: embrace your truth, own your story, and let nothing dim your fire.
With Carnival 2025 on the horizon and a growing global fanbase eagerly awaiting her next move, one thing is certain—Lady Lava is just getting started and we’re here for all of it!
