Tessanne Chin traces the reggae-rock roots of breakthrough single Hideaway

Tessanne Chin has shared the backstory behind Hideaway, the song that marked her breakthrough around 2006 and carried her name to audiences across the Caribbean. In a recent culture segment, the singer explained that the track began during a casual guitar session while she was still learning chords.

Chin recalled stumbling on a progression she liked and watching the words and melody arrive almost without effort. She described the writing process as natural, saying the song "kind of wrote itself." Producers Rudy Valentino and Paul Castic later helped her develop a sound that refused to pick between reggae and rock, aiming instead to bring both together.

The recording took place at Underground Studios, set up at her father's home. At the time, Chin was still a member of the band Mile High. She showed the song to the group, which laid down a version focused mainly on rock. When she worked with Valentino again, either he or her father suggested replacing the primary rock groove with a one-drop reggae rhythm while keeping rock in the bridge. Chin said the change transformed the feel of the track. Session musicians then came in one by one to record their parts, capturing what she called an amazing photograph in time.

Given the song's rock leanings, Chin said she had no idea it would take off. Its success sent her travelling to Caribbean islands she had never visited. She credited the Tempo television platform, including a large production directed by Dana Forbes, with helping widen its reach. Her managers at the time, Philip Lou and Claudine Lou, also played a central role. Chin said Hideaway would not have reached the heights it did without their support.

Reflecting on the track's longevity, she noted: "That is 17 years ago. I have a 17-year-old song, a full-grown song." The refrain — "I'll take you there to my secret hide away" — remains the emotional core of a record she still treats as a defining moment in her career.