Day one of the Lost in Time Festival saw more than a dozen popular artistes hit the stage over an eight-hour period, but no one had quite the same connection and impact as veteran singer Tanya Stephens.
In between songs, she gave the women in the audience full licence to be their most authentic selves. Dressed in a long white dress that she tied at one side to allow for ease of movement, she paired it with baggy jeans and Timberland shoes. Rocking her Afro wig, which has garnered much scrutiny and criticism over the years, Stephens wasted no time during her set, beginning with some of her ’90s women’s anthems that have always been certified crowd-pleasers. The first chords of You Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet got women screaming as they came closer to hear every bit of advice she had to give, like a wise older aunty spilling the tea about how to navigate life and relationships without losing yourself.
“People always a cuss me over me wig right. I don’t know why dem care about it more than me. Remember, when you get a good wuk, you caa have on the good hair. Good man will pull up your good hair. That’s why a dem … hair me wear,” she said.
Good Ride and Boom Wuk had the women singing along to every lyric, and when Stephens took intermittent breaks to share her thoughts, they hung on for every word.
“I just want to thank the men who have been lending us their tools over the years. Gentlemen, we appreciate your kindness and generosity. Keep it up,” she said.
Raunchy without being explicit, she launched into Goggle, but halfway through this classic, she pulled up the song to get something off her chest.
“You know I feel like a hypocrite singing this in 2026? I was a hypocrite singing it in the ’90s but it feels worse now. Let me see the hands of all the women here who never ‘goggle’?” she said. Upon seeing the number of hands, she added “I didn’t expect so many liars at a premium concert like this.”
“Remember, you are who you are. Nuh mek nobody tear you down. The only thing to hold you down is gravity. Nothing else and if you drink the right way, not even it can hold you,” Stephens advised.
With What’s Your Story, she talked about human nature and wanting to dump people, but hating to be dumped. This led to Can’t Breathe, and No Woman Nuh Cry. Expressing her hope for a more peaceful Jamaica, she delivered What A Day. Classics It’s A Pity and These Streets rounded out her free therapy session with the crowd.
Backstage, she told THE STAR that her performance was very liberating, as no one can shame her about her past.
“My engagement with the crowd is organic. They love me because I talk the tings dem and me nuh care because honesty is always the best policy. Most Jamaicans tend to live in their own little bubble, but me love live pon truth street.”
