The young upsetter

It's a sad indictment of the sexism that still permeates much of dancehall culture that women in reggae are usually labeled as one of two things: sexually provocative divas in the vein of Tanya Williams and Lady Saw, or God-fearing roots priestesses raised on a strict diet of socially conscious gospel.

Twenty-two-year-old Munich-based singer and songwriter Sara Lugo, however, isn't so easy to categorize. Born to a German mother and Puerto Rican father, Lugo's defiantly ambitious music combines elements of reggae, soul, R&B and hip-hop to create a form of lovers' rock that packs more of a punch than the music of many of her contemporaries.

Citing famously headstrong female artists Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu as her primary influences, Lugo's genre-defying sound is the result of a musical education that began in the classroom.

"I used to listen to a lot of church songs when I was a kid at school," she tells The Prague Post. "But it was my brother Nathan who first introduced me to reggae. He would play Burning Spear and Israel Vibration records so loud that I didn't have any choice but to listen. I was hooked on the music from that moment."

Those influences can be heard on Lugo's self-titled debut EP, a release that effortlessly fuses soul-driven melodies with lilting Kingston rhythms. "Familiar Stranger," which has already been featured on a mix tape curated by dancehall heavyweights Luciano and Capleton, is an undoubted highlight of the recording, but it's "And They Cry," an inspired one-drop collaboration with upcoming Jamaican DJ Naptali, that hints at Lugo's true crossover potential.

"The whole process of creating new music that has the ability to appeal to a wide variety of people is fascinating to me," she says. "At first you only have an idea - a melody or a line - but from there you can build a complete song. I like producing the sort of music that when you listen to it for a second time you can hear something completely new."

It won't be long until we have a chance to share Lugo's vision, as her debut album is scheduled for release in January. Exploring themes of love, family and religion - the three things the singer says she could never live without - the album features her live band, Oneness, and is engineered by longtime Steel Pulse collaborator Umberto Echo.

"Umberto is like my musical teacher," Lugo says. "The first time I ever went to a studio was with him. I remember sitting next to him in front of this enormous monitor while he was working on a session. He's so open-minded and always up for listening to new ideas, which for me is totally essential when pushing things forward."

This philosophy extends to Lugo's views on the digital age. Whereas most musicians, having grown up listening to classic roots reggae at ear-splitting volume, might have a certain romantic attachment to the analog studio machinery used to cut the classics, or the vinyl dubplates spun in downtown Kingston, Lugo insists the genre and the way in which it is delivered must move on for reggae to remain relevant.

"Nowadays, technology gives us the possibility to do so much more than we were able to in the past," she says. "I think it's important to move into the future without forgetting the past. Dubstep is a good example of that."

Lugo's performance at Rock Café forms part of Prague's Reggae Autumn Festival, a three-month-long, multivenue gathering aimed at showcasing international acts alongside their local counterparts, with homegrown ska outfit Basta Fidel warming the stage for Lugo on this occasion. Despite it being her first visit to the city, however, Lugo is clearly not nervous about the performance.

"People always come up to me after the concerts and tell me that they didn't expect such a big show from such a small body," she laughs. "But it's not in my nature to do things half-heartedly. Music's like magic: You can't explain it; you just feel it. For me, it's all about enjoying that moment and forgetting about everything else."

Andrew Fenwick can be reached at
afenwick@praguepost.com