Sharon Marley drops new single ‘Island’

Reggae singer-songwriter and three-time Grammy Award winner Sharon Marley is set to release her new single, Island, today. The track, featuring Sharon alongside her sister Cedella Marley and Rica Newell, former members of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, is the second single from her debut solo album, Firebird, to be released on March 20.

Island is a roots-reggae song about unity, womanhood, and love for Jamaica. Backed by a drum-and-bass rhythm, the lyrics depict swimming, enjoying roots wine, and life on the island. The collaboration with Cedella and Newell adds multi-generational depth, linking Sharon’s voice with the Marley musical legacy.

In keeping with her commitment to giving back, all streaming proceeds from the single will be donated to Humanity Ova Vanity (HOV), a Canadian-based organisation that provides emergency relief, housing stabilisation, and long-term community support in underserved and disaster-affected areas of Jamaica. HOV is currently advancing the Petersfield Community Resilience Hub, a locally driven project offering transitional housing, safe child spaces, and essential social and medical services for families displaced by Hurricane Melissa.

Island follows Sharon’s first single from the Firebird album, Steppah, featuring reggae artiste Big Youth, which channels the golden era of Jamaican rub-a-dub dancehall. The album, produced by Leroy Romans, has eleven tracks combining classic reggae rhythms, storytelling, and the 432 Hz healing tone. Sharon describes Firebird as a personal work celebrating resilience, empowerment, and transformation, honouring the Marley legacy while establishing her own path as a solo artiste.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Sharon’s bio states that she grew up immersed in music, culture, and purpose and was barely a teenager when she began her professional musical journey alongside her three siblings—Cedella, Ziggy, and Stephen Marley—as part of the beloved family group The Melody Makers. In 1979, the group released its first single, Children Playing in the Streets, written by their father. Over the next two decades, the Melody Makers became one of the most celebrated reggae acts in the world, touring internationally, releasing multiple albums, and earning three Grammy Awards for Best Reggae album.

After the group’s run, Sharon expanded beyond performance, serving 12 years as curator of the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. She also managed the Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers fan club and held a leadership role at her brothers’ label, Ghetto Youths International, supporting reggae’s next generation while preserving the Marley family legacy.

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