Tami Chynn

by David Jeffries Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaican singer Tami Chynn titled her debut album Out of Many...One, and in doing so was referring not only to the motto of her homeland but also referencing her multicultural background. Chynn's mother is Caucasian and African-American while her father is Chinese and Cherokee -- both parents were musicians and very supportive of Tami and her sister Tessanne's interest in music. Tami was the first to turn this interest into something professional when she was hired as a dancer for reggae superstar Shaggy's 2001 world tour. Three years later she would become known for her voice with a live appearance at Jamaica's popular Reggae Sumfest festival plus collaborations in the studio with Sean Paul, Beenie Man, and Wayne Marshall, all of which occurred in 2004. By the end of 2005 she would be celebrating both her second Sumfest appearance and a worldwide record contract with the Universal label. Early in 2006 the "Hyperventilating" single -- co-written by Tami and Tessanne -- would announce the coming of her debut album. Out of Many...One would be released by the end of summer that year while its second single, "Looky Looky," was rising up the Jamaican singles chart.