Sanna Moore makes splash on reggae scene with ‘I Rise Up’ performance

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Super-talented teenage singing sensation Sanna (pronounced SAY-NA) Moore has been generating a lot of attention in music circles with her powerhouse live performances.

She wowed a large audience at the ‘To Mom With Love‘ concert at the AC Hotel Ballroom recently with a rendition of Andra Day’s I Rise Up, a powerful, soulful anthem of resilience, hope and perseverance. As Sanna’s voice reverberated off the venue walls, it provided an aural nitrous boost that energised the audience like an electric current.

There’s no science that could explain the chills up ones spine when she belted the raw emotive notes of I Rise Up which hung in the air like a warning, a teen’s coming-of-age metamorphosis, and a defiant voice announcing her arrival on the music scene.

Sanna said the experience confirmed her love for live performances.

“As soon as I stepped on stage, the nerves disappeared,” she said. “Seeing the crowd connect with the song really moved me.”

A young Jamaican singer and student of St Andrew High School for Girls, Sanna is turning her passion for music into a promising career after receiving encouragement from reggae star Etana and other respected figures in the industry.

“I look up to women in music such as Etana, Rihanna, Jobe Jay, Lila Iké, and Ella Mai. I grew up hearing Etana’s music on the radio, and I always noticed how uplifting and relatable her lyrics are,” she said.

The aspiring entertainer, who serves as vice president of her school’s Wind and String Ensemble, said music has always been a major part of her life. A violinist trained by Mr Kamoy Gordon, she enjoys a wide range of genres including reggae, R&B, neo-soul, gospel and Nyabinghi music.

“My instrument is the violin. I love music because it allows me to express how I am feeling, or even tell a story that I have not personally experienced,” she said.

One of Sanna’s biggest inspirations is Etana. She shared that her journey took a major turn during Reggae Month when she met Etana at a concert held at Emancipation Park. After introducing herself and sharing her passion for music, Etana invited her to sing on the spot.

“She told me she got goosebumps after I sang,” the young performer recalled. “That moment really inspired me.”

According to the singer, Etana encouraged her to remain positive, create her own music and understand the importance of Black women in reggae and entertainment.

The connection later led to an unexpected opportunity when Etana’s management team reached out to her father, well-respected businessman Dwight Moore, expressing interest in working with her.

Soon after, she landed her first major stage performance at the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival.

Sanna is now gearing up to tackle her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in June, but she hopes to use the summer as a springboard to launch her own original songs. Until then, the world waits for more from Sanna — a fresh, fierce voice who actually has something to say.