Portmore artiste Sxae is turning heartbreak, disappointment and anger into musical therapy with the release of The Game, the first single from her highly personal Wicked Gyal trilogy.

Sxae (pronounced Say) is stepping into a more vulnerable space with the project, using music to voice the thoughts and emotions that many people may feel but are sometimes afraid to say out loud.

Produced by Snocone on the Teetimus riddim, The Game introduces listeners to a trilogy that Sxae describes as one of the most personal bodies of work she has created.

“These songs were written during a time when I was deep in heartbreak, disappointment and anger, and writing became my escape,” Sxae explained. “It genuinely felt like I was venting through music.”

For the artiste, Wicked Gyal is not about trying to make everything sound polished or telling people what they want to hear. Instead, she is embracing raw emotion and saying exactly what she felt in the moment.

“I would like to think I make relatable music, music that gives voice to the voiceless, saying things that some may be afraid to say,” she said.

That honesty is at the heart of the project. Sxae hopes listeners will hear themselves in the songs and experience the same sense of release that came with writing them.

“At its core, these tracks feel like a huge exhale after speaking your mind,” she said. “If somebody can listen and experience even a little bit of that same release that feeling of ‘Thank you! Somebody finally seh it’ then the music has done exactly what I wanted it to do.”

Sxae, whose given name is Sonji Siddo, has steadily been building her profile in Jamaica’s music scene. The Portmore-based singer and songwriter has worked with established names including Cordell “Skatta” Burrell, Rohan “Jah Snowcone” Fuller and Peter “Shadyville” Harrison, who is also her main producer and manager.

Her musical journey has also seen collaborations with A-Town Records, Blak Yaad Productions and IzaYoungboy Production in the British Virgin Islands. She is currently signed to Solar Management and managed by Harrison.

Fans may also recognize Sxae from the Vibes Island Cruise advertisement, which she wrote and performed.

With previous releases including Giddup, Giddup Remix and Di Game, Sxae is clearly in a season of growth and Wicked Gyal promises to reveal an even more unfiltered side of the artiste.

With The Game leading the way, Sxae is betting that honesty is her strongest hook. And if the first chapter of Wicked Gyal is any indication, she has plenty more to say.