Born in 1990, Ernesta Nelson, who performs as “Nesta”, is the daughter of Bridget Nelson, a music teacher and choir leader.
She is also the sister of onetime junior calypso monarch, Mark Batson, who has served as a front line singer for the Heat wave band. With such pedigree, it is a small wonder that she has become musically inclined. In fact, by her admission, she lives and breathes the music which runs through her veins.
Her first recognition in the musical industry came when she sang for the opening of Buxton community high school -now Buxton Secondary- before the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan when she was just a student at the Hendon Nursery School.
Nesta then attended Annandale Primary and Golden Grove secondary. She began singing calypso and won the children’s calypso monarch title on numerous occasions, with guidance from her mother. Her feats thus paralleled her brother Mark.
But as she grew older, the desire for more competitions saw her enter into the Soca arena competitively. After entering the last Carib Soca Monarch Competition, she emerged as the top female and third best overall singer.
Nesta has other talents in addition to music. A former student of Carnegie School of Economics, this paragon also plays the violin and loves cooking, baking, movies, good books and quiet time.
She learned to cook at a young age, as she would have to rise early and help make snacks (puri, egg balls, etc.at) to sell to supplement the income that she and her siblings could have for transport to and from school.
Nesta, as she is known in the entertainment industry, has always been a lover of Reggae Music, and has released several singles in this genre which have been well received. Her transition to reggae, which allows for more emotional expression, has thus been justified.
Her biggest single to date is “Essence”, which was recorded and produced by DP Records. The single Essence was recently licensed to Deniram films to be used in the soundtrack of the movie, “Diary of a Badman”.
The movie was filmed on location in New York City and New Jersey. Currently, Nesta’s career is being managed by Brian Backer of Bri Bac Management.
Nesta has also performed at the Barbados Fashion and Music Awards, Atlanta Carnival 2015 and the Wet Fete Antigua 2015.
Building on this momentum, Nesta continues to improve and work at fostering lasting relationships within the industry. Her ‘star’ is thus on the rise, and she’s taking Guyana with her.
Asked what she would advise aspiring artistes to do, the News Room was told the most appropriate advice would be to “live your music,…there must be synergy between your lifestyle and your music.”
She credits her mother with being her biggest inspiration because even though they didn’t have much, her dreams were always supported.
