Freeport, Grand Bahama - (The Freeport News) Bahamian recording artist Terneille "TaDa" Burrows stopped by the Rotary Club of Lucaya meeting yesterday to promote Bahamian artists and appeal for local support in creating an art and entertainment industry that the nation can be proud of.

Burrows treated the Rotarians to samples of her work, from popular jingles to original songs.

The singer, who has opened concerts for international artists such as Bow Wow and Carl Thomas, stated that Bahamians are equally as talented as international performers and deserve the same respect.

"I guess a lot of times with Bahamians, for whatever reason, familiarity breeds contempt. So with a population of just over 300,000 people sometimes you say, 'aww they just a artist' or 'aww I don't want to pay them to perform anywhere because I know them from growing up and I could get a deal.' This is a new decade and we need to have new thinking. Before we can do that, we need to recognize there is a lot of internal housekeeping that we need to do as a people as a nation before the arts, culture and entertainment can really take its rightful place as the next possible major national export industry."

Alluding to the Ministry of Tourism advertisement in which she sang the "It's Better In the Bahamas" jingle, Burrows encouraged Rotarians to truly make it better in The Bahamas for the benefit of the country and local artists alike.

"I believe that the talents of our people are pretty much the biggest natural resource that we have and we keep talking about how we don't have much export. We're always an import country and things of that nature. I feel like we're overlooking the possibilities of arts as an industry."

In support of this statement, Burrows cited CD sales, music video sales, song downloads, live performances and touring as possible benefits of supporting Bahamian artists and their craft.

The Nassau resident, who promoted Bahamian artists and entertainers through her weekly radio show 'Artovation with TaDa" on Star 106.5FM, expressed disappointment over the lack of Bahamian pride in local artists.

While Burrows believes the Bahamian talent can match those around the world, she said that natives still choose to "cling" to reggae, dancehall, rap and other genres.

"Bahamian traditional music hasn't been marketed or packaged, or exploited to the extent where we would think it's cool. I'm not sure why. Maybe we're too laid back as a people," she said.

Burrows further stated that The Bahamas has "dropped the ball" when it comes to promoting Bahamian artists and compensating them for their work, as well as investing in the talent of young people.

"The number one industry in the (United) States actually is entertainment, when you think about the blockbuster films that are released from the States. You know, I feel like since we like to emulate the States so much maybe we should take a page out of their book and put a little bit more focus on the art instead of just the sports, or just the tourism... because there's all kinds of talent sitting up here, right now, guaranteed millions of dollars are worth. Someway, somehow, we just need to find the right alliances to make this happen."

Fresh from a Bon Voyage Concert in Nassau, Burrows revealed that she has taken the first steps in bringing her dreams to fruition.

"I'm getting ready to leave The Bahamas because of many different reasons, a lot more opportunities. People feel as though, young Bahamian females, they just feel as if you're a lowly entertainer and you don't really know what the time is. On the contrary, I know what I do. I don't have a masters degree or a PhD but I know what I do and I do it well and deserve to get paid just like anyone from anywhere else," she said.

"It's been a lot of work to be everything, the accountant, the administrator, the marketer, the promoter, the artist, the songwriter. So at some point you're like 'okay, I'm deciding that I'm going to actually make it big and go somewhere else,'... so this is what qualifies the move."

Burrows is leaving the island on February 17 for Toronto.

(Photo: Jenneva Russell)

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