Lisa Hyper steps into Christmas with ‘Attitude’

With the high anticipation surrounding Vybz Kartel's long-awaited Freedom Street concert, the self-proclaimed 'Gaza First Lady'. Lisa Hyper, is amplifying the excitement while promoting her new festive single, Attitude.

"When I came up with the first two lines, I knew it was gonna be a hit," she told THE WEEKEND STAR of her latest release.

"I didn't have any riddim when I created it, so I had to hit up [producer] Ivy League at 3 a.m., and I was like, 'Yow, mi have supm fi yuh, enuh.' When mi send him di demo addi song, him seh, 'No mumma, dah song yah affi drop right away.'"

Hyper agreed, explaining that the track exudes "a Christmas breeze wid it ... it did just have a Christmas vibes bout it weh mek mi seh, 'Mi affi drop it fi December.'"

Attitude, released on Sunday, has already made waves, climbing several international charts and racking up over 13,000 views and more than 100 comments since its debut.

"It's a very confident but feisty song for the ladies ... that's the energy I get from it," Hyper explained.

"But I still wanted to put a little motivation in it where I said, 'Man fi always smell good and woman fi always practise proper hygiene.' Mi just feel like mi really need fi put dat in it because sometimes di man dem really nuh smell good and di woman dem nuh practise proper hygiene. Suh mi affi mek dem know," said the Sculpture artiste, noting that the message aims to boost self-confidence.

In addition to its chart success, Hyper said the feedback has been "great", with fans flocking to her social media pages to leave positive comments and even comparing her sound to that of the former queen of dancehall, Lady Saw.

"[The song] is very flexible -- yuh have di singing part, which is the chorus, den yuh have di deejaying part, which is the verse. Suh it's a very flexible record ... . It's doing really great so far, and wi have whole heap more to come," she said.

Recently, Hyper also released her first collaboration with long-time friend and Gaza Empire teammate Shawn Storm. The track, New Money, produced by Eastern Entertainment, was an unplanned creation but one born out of positive energy and fate.

"A just positive energy only, and we all are grateful seh wi get fi mend back dah joy deh weh wi always have, because it was always a joy being around each other. Suh, nutten nuh change," she shared.

Reflecting on her years in the music industry, Lisa Hyper credited her perseverance to her purpose and faith.

"At times with the obstacles, trials, and tribulations, mi naah guh seh sometimes mi nuh feel like throw in the towel. But when yuh know seh God bless yuh certain way, yuh cyaah waste it [or] tek it fi granted. Yuh affi just get up and brush off and continue di journey," she said passionately. "Really and truly, my journey a my biggest motivation. I appreciate everything about my journey -- the good [and] the bad -- because it helped mould me into the woman I am, the woman I'm becoming, and to be a better daughter, sister, friend [and] a better musician."

Looking ahead to the Freedom Street concert, Lisa Hyper anticipates not just a personal milestone but a significant event for the Gaza family and Jamaica. Freedom Street, which will be held at the National Stadium on New Year's Eve, will be Vybz Kartel's first concert performance in 14 years. Several stars, including Popcaan, Spice, Skillibeng, Tommy Lee Sparta, Chronic Law, Shawn Storm and Lisa Hyper, are slated to perform at the concert.

"This concert is more effective on the tourism side because of the amount a tourist that will be coming in -- all a di hotels dem book out aready. I have friends overseas that I'm getting a lot a calls [from] because they want me to help dem get AirBnB because dem seh everyweh book out. Suh I think this very good fi di country on a whole," she said.

Hyper promised a historic performance that blends classic and modern elements. "That's gonna be historic because there's gonna be a classical performance, trending [and] futuristic performances. Both the old and the new [artistes] will be there, and you will be hearing both old and new songs," she said.

However, the most special part of the event for her will be seeing Kartel reunite with his sons.

"That's one addi best feelings so far -- when I'm around him and his children are around, seeing him so happy, trust me, you wouldn't even understand how good dat mek mi feel," she shared.

To cement her mark at the event, Hyper plans to deliver a "flexible, well-rounded performance", featuring her classics alongside her new hits. "It's gonna be a historic moment," she declared.