RIP Natasja Saad 1974-2007

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Saturday 03 November 2007 |
22 comments |

Natasja aka Natasha's vocal of the (funky) house anthem Calabria 2007 is without doubt one of my favourite tracks of this year. The second tune of hers I heard, Long Time on Sly & Robbie's relick of the classic Darker Shade of Black reggae riddim highlighted that here was an excellent and versatile reggae artist who I'd never come across before.

When checking out her Myspace page last month to see what her other music was like, I was shocked and saddened to see that she had died in June this year, apparently in a car accident in Jamaica. Having since heard a bunch of her old tunes and seen videos of her live performances, it's clear to me that major success could and should have been just around the corner. Her distinctive, nasal voice, lyrics that range from positive and thoughtful to fun and sexy, and an engaging stage presence make her stand out, especially in a dancehall reggae world that is so male-dominated.

Although only now making waves in Jamaica and internationally, Natasja was certainly no newcomer to reggae music and had been a star in her native Denmark for years. Only in her early thirties when she died, Natasja had been performing for 20 years since her stage debut in Copenhagen aged 13 and helped to pioneer dancehall music in Denmark as part of the group No Name Requested alongside Miss Mukupa and McEmzee.

In 2006, Natasja entered Jamaican radio station Irie FM’s influential Big Break talent contest, beating off competition from 700 other entrants to become the first non-Jamaican ever to win the contest. Recently she'd performed at Jamaica's legendary reggae festivals Sting and Reggae Sumfest as well - you can see footage of some of these events in the Behind The Scenes In Jamaica video.

Recording in both Danish and English, and clearly equally at home on uptempo dance music or riding foundation reggae rhythms, Natasja's releases include the Latino pop styles of My Dogg, uplifting reggae tune Op Med Ho'det, sunny bashment hit Summercute, Cigar with hip hop/reggae group Bikstok Røgsystem and Time 2 Fly on Germaican Records' Rodeo dancehall riddim, plus her 2005 debut solo album, Release.

Visit her Myspace page to hear her riding the Wipe Out bashment riddim in Danish, an ode to the herb called 1 Spliff A Day, Calabria 2007 and Long Time (labelled 'Release' on the music player). Many of the videos linked to above are also collected together here, though the accompanying text is written in Danish.

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Saturday 03 November 2007 |
22 comments |

Yessenia on 30 December 2007

Wow - I never new Natasja died. I was on YouTube listening to her music until I saw a comment that said, ''Let's just forget about her death and remember the day she was born'' - so i knew she was dead!

Arciie Gonzalez on 27 February 2008

same hurr i didnt knoe anythiin. then i read comments on youtube saying she p-ast away i mean that was soo crazy i was like people are just scamming her then i read this shes awsumme <3 i lubb her.

Marie Rahim on 10 March 2008

Even though she's dead I still love her music. I didn't know she was dead until today. I was going to invite her and Enur to my 21st birthday - which is 2 years from now - to perform Calabria.

Roselene on 17 March 2008

i am so shoked that this occured. i was watching mtv3 and pitbull's video waz on. when it finished, it said in memory of nataaja saad. i waz like wat!!! so i had to search on the web. may her soul rest in peace. i love her song calabria.

Lorenis on 10 April 2008

Yeah that was my first source of her death. On MTV3 I saw Pitbull's video The Anthem and when it ended it said in loving memory of Natasja. Really shocking because that song was a hit and it still is worldwide. May she RIP.

Angel Natasja on 19 April 2008

jeg elsker dig og så bandede hun meget helst kom ned for den dumme himmel så bliver jeg sur

hilsen mig

Niick on 21 April 2008

It was very sad to know that Natasja had passed away. When I saw that Pitbull video and in the end when it said R.I.P. natasja is when i knew she was dead. So R.I.P.

Patricia on 30 April 2008

omg same here...i saw it on Pitbull's video nd i just found...RIP natasja nd i love her song Calabria <3

Kav on 19 May 2008

So sad...I love Pitbull's Anthem but her Calabria is much better. RIP Natasja. Love you.

Jennifer on 23 May 2008

I was listening to her music but how did she die toug

Rub A Dub Sundays on 28 May 2008

Check the audio from one of Natasja (RIP)'s last ever live appearances in the 'audio' section at http://www.rubadub.dk

Jessica on 19 June 2008

I luv her song Calabria...does anyone know how she died?

Sasha on 28 June 2008

Wow that's crazy i can't believe that she's gone. God rest her soul - good music, she was on the verge to serious success making reggae history

Maureen on 11 July 2009

It's so sad that she went so soon.

She was on the road to huge success in the international reggae scene.

ondaje on 14 August 2009

Her song "one spliff a day is another good one".

more fire on 20 September 2009

young woman .... mi feel mi lose mi sister mi friend over all .... miii gawjussss half sudaness gyl from arround corner Ethiopea .... one splif a day ..... every ganja man and woman one splife a day

beeber on 16 October 2009

Natasja's history is a space cloud for reggae.Every day.

sean on 22 December 2009

damn im so late to find out about her death. i like her song calambria.today i found out when i search her song and find out ppl leaving comments about rip so i decided to do a little research. thats so sad. no one never told me.R.I.P natasha

Ace on 01 February 2010

Speechless... Mis Yah

shabhirl on 27 March 2010

i thnk am tha laast person who hs k/wn bout het death.today,am years late bt she stil rocks my reggae world

Juj on 13 April 2010

she died in a car accident two more passangers were injured and she was pronounced dead in the Hospital

Juliet. on 16 April 2010

Its so terribly sad. Better than dem is 1 hell of a hit,n u sure were better than dem. R.I.P Natasja!!