“The new EP that’s coming out September 26, Reggae Dolly, it’s pretty much like my alter ego, like highlighting different parts of Aiesha—which is the American side—because I grew up in the Bronx, New York, so I just had to tap into my American roots,” Aiesha Barrett tells WMV, her voice firm, deliberate, and filled with conviction. “So it’s more of a mixture of dancehall, trap, pop—and then of course reggae.”
A Bronx Story with Jamaican Roots
Music was not a choice for Aiesha Barrett—it was destiny. “I am the daughter of reggae legendary musician Aston ‘Familyman’ Barrett. My dad is well known for the basslines from Bob Marley and the Wailers,” she says, acknowledging the weight of her lineage.
The elder Barrett died last year February at age 77 at the University of Miami Hospital in Florida.
“He also started out with the Hippie Boys, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, and the Upsetters. So he’s, you know, he’s well known in a lot of reggae legendary basslines.”
Her uncle, Carlton “Carly” Barrett, was also a cornerstone of the Wailers’ rhythm section. But despite the towering legacy, Aiesha insists she carved her own lane. “Music was never something that we could have escaped because it runs through our blood. Morning and night, it was music. I started touring with my dad at the age of 12. So it’s something I was just drawn to—and I wanted to be professional about it.”
The Making of Reggae Dolly
The project which she is yet to decide whether to call it an album of an EP is a ten-track collection of all new music. “This project has about 10 tracks,” she confirms, listing titles like Sweet Bliss, Toxic, Journey, Bad Like Me, and Options. “I guess it’s an album. It’s a New York thing—such as a mixtape—but it’s an album.”
Working closely with producers Black Sheep Music and JJ Wizzle, Barrett also stepped behind the boards herself. “I’m actually producing the track, producing it myself. No, there’s no collaboration on this project.”
This is not her first foray. “I had another release two weeks ago on the same producer Black Sheep’s album featuring me. I had an EP three years ago and another album that was released last year November. So I would say this is my third project—solo project, yes, solo.”
Owning the “Reggae Dolly” Identity
The name is more than branding—it’s a persona. “You know, you have the Dancehall Queen title and you have the Dancehall Princess and the Queen of Reggae. I just feel like my personality—I would say I’m more of a seductive side, more outspoken. I respect my culture and my religion as well, but I consider myself like a Barbie doll. So I think Reggae Dolly highlights that.”
Does she anticipate pushback? “No, I think most people know me as—I always call myself Reggae Dolly because of my appearance. But I’m not doing anything ratchet or revealing or anything like that where my body’s been exposed. It’s always been my little alias, Ricky Dolly. She’s regular, but she also does dancehall. So that’s the Dolly side of her.”
Business-Minded and Future-Focused
Aiesha Barrett isn’t just a singer. She is a songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. “Yes, and I’m actually a producer as well,” she clarifies. She runs her own publishing company, separate from her family’s legacy. “Just Aiesha Music and anything affiliated with Aiesha. I’m very separated when it comes to my projects and my business. I’m not affiliated with anything with my dad or my uncle. I stay away from that.”
Her independence is both protective and empowering. “I’m pretty sure they’re very updated with that side of the business. But I have no scene where that is concerned. My publishing company deals with my publishing only.”
With Reggae Dolly arriving September 26, Barrett is ready to stand firmly in her own light,”It’s highlighting the American side of me, but reggae remains at the core.”
For Aiesha Barrett, the path is clear: carry the weight of her legacy while reshaping it in her own image. “It’s something that I was just drawn to, and just wanted to be professional about it.”
