Scholarly Sounds: Cherine Anderson’s ROC Kids Fest + New Song “Moola”

Words by Jesse Serwer

Dancehall soul queen Cherine Anderson has made philanthropy a priority since the outset of her career, when she was just a teenager herself. Her Reach One Child (ROC) Foundation has been active in creating scholarship opportunities for students in inner-city and deep-rural Jamaica for over a decade; her latest venture is Groove Campus Tour, a new program that brings live reggae music into schools to raise awareness for student-led fundraising projects.

This Saturday, July 4th, Cherine and the ROC Foundation will host their second-annual ROC Kids Fest at Jessie Ripoll Field, in Kingston, Jamaica, featuring live performances from Sizzla and Cherine herself, among other performers, and sounds from Stone Love. Today, meanwhile, is the deadline for applications to the ROC Scholarship Programme for the next school year. If you know of a Jamaican child in need who fits the criteria, head here, to see what opportunities are available.

On another note, after a few quiet years Cherine is once again focusing on releasing new music. With an upcoming album in the works with Sly and Robbie (who helped launch her career more than a decade ago), she’s just released “Moola,” a new single produced by Colin “Bulby” York. Take a listen below.