Sister Nancy

Sister Nancy is a Jamaican singer and DJ born in Kingston, Jamaica and has become one of the most well-known voices in reggae music through her iconic rendition of Toots & The Maytals' 'Bam Bam'.

Born Ophlin Russell and one of 15 siblings, Sister Nancy wanted to follow in the footsteps of her brother Robert, who has since made a name for himself as Brigadier Jerry.

As part of a conservative household, she was often dissuaded from pursuing a career in Jamaican dancehall/reggae and instead encouraged to perform Christian music by her father. Russell rebelled against this and instead toured the country with DJ Junior Chalice.

In 1980 she released her first single 'Papa Dean' on Winston Riley's Techniques label, before releasing debut album 'One Two' in 1982 and having a string of successful singles, including 'Bam Bam' which has been sampled in over 70 successful songs, including Kanye West and Damian Marley & Jay-Z, who featured her in their video for the single 'Bam'.

After moving to New Jersey in 1996, Sister Nancy appeared to step away from music, and started working as a bank teller. Her impact was not lost though, and paved the way for a string of successful female artists.

In 2001, she announced her return to music with the release of her second album 'Sister Nancy Meets Fireproof' and in 2016, after retiring from her banking career, she returned to the stage and has continued to perform live ever since.