International hair stylist Jawara joins Lynette this week to talk about his life in music and style. Jawara grew up between Jamaica and New York in the 1990s and 2000s, in a family at the heart of Jamaican reggae and dancehall culture. Today Jawara works for every major fashion magazine, and has worked with the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and Diana Ross. 

The influence of Jamaica, and Jamaican culture runs heavy in this episode. Jawara’s first track is Beenie Man’s Memories, which takes our guest back to joyful moments in his childhood, and is still called upon today to instill some “Jamaican confidence” ahead of a big show. 

Next up the pair discuss Liberation for Africa, by his Mother - Sister Carol, who was pregnant with Jawara when she recorded it. Jawara and Lynette discuss his upbringing in hair salons and community spaces in New York and Jamaica when Dancehall was crossing over in the mainstream. This moment in Black hair and Black style had a huge impact on him and his career. 

Jawara’s final song choice is Mary J.Blige’s album My Life from 1994, which Jawara credits as being the sound of black culture in New York at that time, and still informs his styling decisions to this day. 

Check out a mix of Jawara’s music over at NTS: nts.live/shows/sounds-and-style

Presenter - Lynette Nylander

Producer - Connor Gani

Exec producer - Lizzy King

Sound design - Jennifer Walton

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