Lady Saw does it her way

Album: My Way
Artiste: Lady Saw
Label: Diva Records/Toasting Music/Universal

There is no doubt about it – Grammy-winning, platinum-selling dancehall artiste, Lady Saw surely does it her way on her latest album, My Way.
The first release on her recently-formed Diva Records, the themes are a heavy reflection of her intriguing sexuality and her in-your-face stance as she stoutly defends her rights. Even if it’s her right to own “your man”. She pushes the envelope as she explores her creativity as producer, experimenting with riddims that have just a hint of the familiar dancehall ring.
On My Way, Lady Saw parades her ‘Muma Saw’ persona, the title which sets her apart and gives her respect in a male-dominated dancehall which has little tolerance for the talent and creativity of its females. But Lady Saw is one of the exceptions and 15 years after her entry, she still commands attention and walks away unscathed as she lyrically empowers females and keeps on taunting the males.
Saw is definitely at her ‘realest’ on this album and she sashays down the dancehall runway as if she owns it, and perhaps she does. Songs such as Crazy Love, Party Till December and Cyaan Get Mi show exactly who is in control, but all three songs portray different emotions.
Lady Saw knows how to ride a riddim – that we know – but she also knows how to act. She has perfected the art of using her “other voice” and comes eerily convincing and sounding like a real psycho on Crazy Love. Then there is Muscle Control which is specially designed for those girls who have the ‘propa propa ugu’ and know how to use it. Not surprisingly, she does get explicit on a few of the tracks, but as she declared from the start, she is doing it My Way.  Reviewed by  Yasmine Peru