On the musical circuit where women few and far comes a Guyanese woman with intense entertainment allure: Empress Thelma Andrea Gaskin, under the moniker the Fire Angel. Born August 1972, this buxom Leo beauty was born into a musical family. Her parents are Calypsonian Carlton ‘the Mighty Contender’ Gaskin and Elizabeth ‘singing Desiree’ Gaskin.
Her passion has always been for music but her father never wanted his girls to sing so she used her writing abilities to pen short stories. But in 1996 as she enjoyed motherhood (two beautiful children) she meet song writer and composer ‘Major Bumpy’ who encourage her to put melodies to her stories and before she knew it she was singing her
songs.
In the years that followed she sang at Karaoke sessions and small gathering but her passion for original music grew and although at that time there was no avenue for Guyanese music, she continued writing songs and kept focused. It was not until the year 2001 that Andrea found her true inner self, through the Rastafari Faith, and that lit the torch to her burning desire.
Influence strongly by Guyanese reggae sensational group FIRST BORN she then, brought to the fore her original compositions, and a new spirit was born, a Rastafarian Empress who had wanted her voice to be heard and her thoughts to mold. In the year 2004 Andrea had audition for a role for singers, actors and dancers in a play “In search of happiness” which focused on ABUSE. She played the lead role, and for the first time, was able to perform her original song title ‘Almighty Father’ and the stage was set, and this songstress had geared her self for the many more opportunity to come in the near future. Surprisingly in March of 2005 she met Walter Fraser, Manager and Producer of the VIZION SOUNDS RECORDS and at the same time she meet and felled in love with one of the FIRST BORN members Troy Anthony Azore. It was a dream come true for the Empress, being inspired by the group, and then actually falling in love with one of the members. The door way was opened, and after working intensively with him through the years, Andrea was nick named by Troy, Empress TG the FIRE ANGEL for the fiery lyrical content within her songs.
Psalm 104-4, The Creator maketh his angels spirits, his Ministers a flaming fire. In 2008, FIRE ANGEL had now release her first single and video entitled MY PEOPLE BE WISE {cocaine}, under the TIL-SHILOH RECORDS label GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE PRODUCTION, Own by Azore . Since then FIRE ANGEL have perform on several School shows, at Ras-Ville day, Haiti relieved show on Brother BOB day, and acted in plays such as return of Jason, and Shatter Dir, by Errol Chan and appeared in the move, The Black Box, Dir by Son of a Nancy. To date her latest release is Baby my love is true that also has a video, Love is like a river and be strong, combination. Coming soon she will releasing singles such as ‘these are the times’ & ‘love is not a toy’. A promising Artiste is on the rise Empress brings a difference to culture & entertainment.
By Mondale Smith