Jamaica Observer: KINGSTON, JA – Billboard magazine is hailing Jamaican Grammy-winning deejay Koffee as one of 21 acts under 21 who has been making a global impact in 2020.

The article was published yesterday in the American music magazine titled ’21 Under 21: See Who Made the 2020 List’.

According to Billboard: “Three weeks before turning 20, the multi-talented artiste born Mikayla Simpson made history at the 2020 Grammys: She not only became the first female artiste to win best reggae album in the award’s 35-year history, but also the category’s youngest winner of all time.

“She plans to use her success ‘to set an example for those who are younger than me — to inspire others to reach their full potential’. In the meantime, she’s still forging new accomplishments of her own, like a pair of hit collaborations with UK star J Hus ( Repeat) and reggae legend Buju Banton (the Pressure remix).”

Koffee, 20, is signed to Promised Land/RCA. She has amassed a grand total of 189.2 million streams.

The 125-year-old magazine asked Koffee: What’s the most powerful thing about being a young artiste in the music industry?

“This is a big opportunity for me, a big platform that I can use to set an example for those that are younger than me. To keep things positive and inspire others to reach their full potential — it’s a huge responsibility, and I want to do a lot of good with it,” she responded.

In February, Koffee’s Rapture emerged on top in a category which included luminaries Third World, Steel Pulse, Sly & Robbie, and Julian Marley. The five-track EP contains her tracks Blazin, Throne, Rapture, Raggamuffin as well as her break-out hit Toast.

In a relatively short period of time, the Spanish Town resident has risen to great heights in the music industry, performing on some of the major stages, both locally and internationally. But she explained that she doesn’t feel any pressure to top her meteoric rise, in fact she uses it as motivation.

“A lot of people are expecting me to feel pressured, and even I was expecting myself to feel pressured. But this success has presented somewhat of a relief for me. It shows me that so many great things are possible. So instead of putting me in a position where I’m scared now, if I can top it the next time it shows me that many great things are possible, so I just can continue to work and I don’t even know what I can achieve with confidence. So I am just looking forward with positivity and optimism for everything that I really, really can do,” she told the Jamaica Observer in a previous interview.

Also included in Billboard’s 21 under 21 are: Billie Eilish, 18, who swept all four major categories at this year’s Grammy Awards; Beyoncé’s protojes Chloe x Halle; and singer Noah Cyrus, sister of Miley Cyrus.

  • Top Feature Photo: Billboard