Tessanne Chin is the 21st century Bob Marley

Yes you read right. I said ...

Tessanne Chin

Photo taken from The Voice website

is the 21st century Bob Marley

Photo taken from AllMusic.com

Despite their fledgling resemblance these two singers may have more in common than you think. 

Disclaimer:  Relatives, friends and fans of Bob Marley need not be offended. I know how easily offended the distant third cousin of an uncle of a brother of the grand-mother of a friend of a god-sister of Bob Marley can get. It's not that serious

Tessanne Chin  emerged the 2013 winner of the American singing competition, The Voice, recently. However, in doing so she united a nation. Persons who previously could not relate to each other found common ground talking about Tessanne's progress each week. Relatives living abroad heard more regularly from their Jamaican family members in the past month than perhaps half a decade. 

In the initial stages persons watched from their homes, and then The Voice viewing parties started popping up, a few here and there until they were established weekly events that we all looked forward to, not only in Jamaica but across the United States and the world.

Television Jamaica would not miss their chance to capitalize on this historic moment, they bought the rights to broadcast The Voice. Needless to say viewers were furious (including me) especially because their only option was to show it delayed. In 2013 who the hell  wants to see shows delayed? How are we going to tweet about it after reading  all the foreign tweets an hour earlier? So, luckily they heard our complaints via Twitter and Facebook and provided live show viewing on RE TV.

Everywhere you went someone was talking about Tessanne, her performances throughout the week, her father's reactions, her  fabricated love affair with coach, Adam Levine. She was the most interesting thing that happened to Jamaicans for that period, perhaps even more attention-grabbing than the Vybz Kartel murder trial.

Now, why would I put her in the same category as Bob Marley? Bob Marley's music brought people together, even now it provides a release on stressful days. He united a politically divided nation and although some people don't like to admit it he put Jamaica on the map. He is arguably the biggest music superstar to come from our shores. Wherever in the world you go and introduce yourself as a Jamaican the automatic follow-up question is "Do you know Bob Marley?". 

Tessanne has done quite the same, in a different context of course. It's no longer the 1980s, the advances is communication technology have changed how we all relate to the world. Tessanne connected/ reconnected the diaspora. She brought Jamaicans together all across the world, to watch TV together or devise how to maximize votes together. The #TeamTessanne hash tag went viral, among Jamaicans at least, as we sought to keep her relevant in the competition. Twitter accounts and Instagram profiles supporting Tessanne were birthed and YouTube personalities started talking about Tessanne more and more, reaping their own kinds of rewards - thousands of views. 

Tessanne is pretty much a household name now, Jamaiaca is Tessanne and Tessanne is Jamaica. I have already seen persons online commenting that they would have to visit Tessanne's place of birth. Apart from her obviously wonderful personality, her 'genuiness' as an island girl won over hearts. She didn't fake an American accent but stayed true to her own Jamaican sound. 

Even the Prime Minister has mentioned "Tesson" and the impact she has had on the nation.

If you still doubt the impact she has had on Jamaica, you should have seen Half Way Tree at 9 - 11 pm for the final show. The crowd could have rivaled that of the previous Olympic Games.

Now, it's one thing for people to gather in Half Way Tree at 10 am - 12 noon  to watch Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser and all our other great athletes compete in the Olympics and World Championships; however, it is a completely different thing for this VOLUME of  people to congregate in Half Way Tree at 9 at night to watch Tessanne on the big screen. Against the threat of pickpockets and other thieves, invasion of personal space and any other drawbacks, they gathered to support Jamaica's songbird. 

And like Bob Marley her statement went viral : "bread and butta".  However, while you may not be as convinced to make that statement as I was and while you may think I am downplaying the greatness of the Reggae legend you may just be getting ahead of yourself. 

Think about it logically, DJ and musicologist (even  if he isn't referred to as one in other spheres I'm referring to him as such here) Collin Hines stated on Entertainment Report recently that there has not been a Jamaican singer to make waves in any sort of international market recently. Tessanne was able to transcend Jamaica's borders and perhaps gave us that international attention that we would only generally obtain through track and field successes.

In the words of a tweeter:  "Tessanne is the Usain Bolt of singing"  and in my own words she is the 21st century Bob Marley!