AFTER writing songs for many years, Empress Adara saw the release of her first single in September with Late Night Fights.

The lovers’ rock ballad is produced by her grandfather, rocksteady legend Leroy Sibbles, and was released by his Bright Beam Music label.

The Toronto, Canada, native is happy to get off the mark but points out she is not the typical up-and-coming artiste.

“I’ve only been recording for a couple of years but I’ve been writing since I was seven. One of my biggest influences is, of course, my grandfather but I have so many more [that] I can’t even count them. Some are Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Ashley Cole, Stevie Wonder…the list goes on,” she said.