Sister Act
by Bobbi Misick

How Jamaica’s latest musical export, Brick and Lace, keeps it in the family

Jamaica’s multifaceted population and culture can be regarded as the Heinz 57 of the West Indies. With a cultural pepper pot of African presence seasoned generously with influences from India, China, Spain, England and Ireland, “mixin’ it up has been a part of the Jamaican since way back when. So why wouldn’t we expect it to cross over to the music, asks Reggae/R&B sister-duo Brick and Lace. The uptown-Kingston beauties are the first artists to be released on Akon’s Kon Live Distribution, and have been fusing their inherent dancehall flavor with the American R&B sounds they grew up tuning into since their times of singing in the church choir. But they’re seeking a broader audience these days. “People from the islands are not just on a palm tree singing ‘woyoyo,’” says Nailah, the younger of the sisters.

Raised near uptown-Kingston’s famous Hope Road by two musical parents — an American mother who was very involved in their church choir, and a Jamaican father who played guitar and piano for the congregation– Nyanda and Nailah Thourborne began singing in church before they could see over the pulpit. The Thourbornes exposed their four daughters to an assortment of musical styles from Donna Summer to Jimi Hendrix. Nyanda and Nailah also grew up during an R&B boom in pop music, when Toni Braxton reigned , and Coco, Taj and Lelee , of SWV, were fixtures on B.E.T.’s Video Soul (for those not old enough to drink yet, that was the hit show with Donnie Simpson before Free and A.J. changed the game with 106 & Park).

“We grew up listening to R&B, like SWV. We were like we’d love to mimic their harmonies,” Nailah remembers. “And all we’re doing is fusing the two sounds [dancehall and R&B]. It’s not rocket science,” adds Nyanda.

In truth the girls’ debut record Love is Wicked plays more like a modern R&B album–with the soft and polished Nailah providing the sexy melodies– peppered liberally (the only way Jamaicans know how to pepper) with strokes of dancehall–dished out by the more audacious Nyanda–with little reminders, like the popular Diwali Riddim on title track, “Love is Wicked,” and even a reference to Shabba Ranks’ 90’s hit “Ting a Ling.” Unlike Caribbean R&B singers like Rihanna or crossover reggae artists like Sean Paul, Brick and Lace seem to be following the formula of London’s reggae-R&B originator, Diana King (she of “Shy Guy” fame), whom the girls look up to. Coincidentally, the sisters sang back-up for King when they were younger. “[Diana] has definitely influenced a lot of female artists coming from Jamaica,” says Nyanda. “When she came out on the international scene we were like ‘Wow! She’s one of us and she’s just a girl from Jamaica.”

Prominent Jamaican promoter Sharon Burke first booked the Thourborne girls to sing back-up for well known Jamaican artists like King, and better known [and former I-Three] Marcia Griffith and Beres Hammond. Soon, producer Dallas Austion, known for his hefty contribution of tracks to LaFace Records, flew the sisters to his Atlanta studio to help pen songs with artists like TLC and Christina Aguilera. “It was huge because they were demo-ing records that we worked on,” Nyanda recalls with a smile.

The exposure with Austin inevitably led to Brick and Lace’s record deal with Jive Records, which they signed in 2004 as the first female Jamaican group on the leading label. However, the girls became impatient waiting for the label to kick their project into high gear. “We asked to be released from the contract because we could tell that the vibe there wasn’t right. We didn’t want the kind of company that didn’t know what to do with you, so you just sit down not doing any thing,” explains Nyanda. “They saw [our] talent but they didn’t know how to present the sound,” adds Nailah.

With the loss of the Jive deal, older sister Tasha left the (then threepart) group, eager to settle down and start her family. Nyanda and Nailah were left to re-create a two-part harmony just in time for an all-female reggae tour in Europe. This time Brick and Lace would open for Marcia Griffith instead of singing backup. “Nyanda and I said even if we weren’t the biggest stars we could still just travel and find an audience because there’s always [one] for reggae music,” says Nailah.

As fortune would have it, another heavy hitter, Geffen A&R and Deathrow Records founder Jimmy Iovine also saw a potential audience for Brick and Lace’s salad of undeniable sexiness and charm. The sisters signed with Geffen shortly after their tour and began working with a smorgasbord of high-profile producers, including w.i.l.l.i.a.m., Cool & Dre, Tony Kelly and Akon, who recorded the girls’ late 2006 single “Never, Never” in typical Konvict style, chopped and screwed and highlighted with reverb. Akon, Nyanda and Nailah quickly cooked up a winning chemistry. “He totally got Brick and Lace,” says Nyanda. “We felt like we were old friends from high school.”

“He kept saying, ‘I’m taking over. We doin’ this. I want y’all on my label!’” says Nyanda laughing. “It just felt like a family.” After all, family has always been the main ingredient in the Brick and Lace recipe.

Source: Trace

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