Tanya Stephens recalls 1994 breakout with Big Things A Gwaan

Tanya Stephens says her 1994 hit Big Things A Gwaan was the record that first carried her name across Jamaica, turning a nervous young singer into an artiste being requested for shows and studio sessions.

Speaking about the song’s origins, Stephens said her earliest recording base was Grove Music, where she worked with Barry O’Hare and his cousin Steven Stewart. She recalled that the pair were operating under the name Passing Pickney at the time and helped set up songs for her during her first period in the studio.

Stephens said her Big Things A Gwaan came before later songs that used similar wording, including others from Kingston. She described the single as the one that properly introduced her to local audiences once it began getting radio play. People started asking her to perform it, show bookings followed, and she began appearing on bigger stages alongside established acts.

The recording process, she said, was not easy at first because she was new to professional studio work. Stephens remembered being extremely shy, struggling to open her mouth, and feeling intimidated while others were present during the session. She said O’Hare helped calm her and guided her through the takes until she settled into the performance.

The success of the song also widened her career opportunities. Stephens said producers began bringing riddims to her, and one major development came through Delroy Collins, a friend who was connected to Dave Kelly. Collins told her Kelly wanted to record with her, a moment Stephens said made her feel she had already arrived before she even entered the session.