Rafeelya

Rafeelya is a Boston-born singer with Jamaican roots whose journey in music began with talent shows and hip hop dubplates. She recorded her first single, a cover of Brokenhearted, in 1995 on the Mastermind label. A lifelong musician, she started piano at age three and grew up immersed in music culture, spending weekends at Vibes Records in Mattapan under the mentorship of Junior Rodigan.

Over the years, she has worked with labels and producers such as Stingray, Mellow Vibes, Linval Thompson (Thompson Sound), Sir Coxsone Outernational, and Lloyd Brown. A two-time award-winning artist, Rafeelya is now a member of the UK’s pioneering all-female reggae band Akabu Queens, continuing their legacy alongside Makeda Moore.