Patra sets Sony-linked global distribution deal for +Plus Entertainment

Patra is preparing a fresh push in music through a worldwide distribution arrangement for her company, +Plus Entertainment Inc. The deal places the label’s releases with Freddy Browne’s JHOUSE Entertainment, alongside The Orchard and Sony Music.

The deejay, known to many fans as the Queen of the Pack, told THE STAR that she is again connected to Sony through Browne’s JHOUSE operation. She said the video for the opening single is being prepared for the end of June, with her full return expected by the end of summer.

Patra said several collaborations are also on the way. She is recording one song with Browne for his album and another for her own solo project, with both singles expected to arrive close together and each planned to have its own video.

The Romantic Call artiste said she is also getting ready to perform again. She added that she has been keeping herself in shape at the gym and feels ready for the next stage of her career.

Patra has previously worked with Browne and said their professional bond is strong. Because of that relationship, she chose to handle the Sony-linked arrangement through his label instead of going straight to the major company.

Her history with Sony goes back to the 1990s, when she was signed to Epic Records during the height of her rise. That period produced her debut album, Queen of the Pack, which later earned gold certification.

Patra said she could have arranged a separate deal through The Orchard and Sony, but decided that Browne and Sony together would give her the support she wanted. She also said she feels positive about owning her masters and being directly involved in the material she is now creating.

On the matter of her older recordings, Patra said she is expected to recover the masters for Queen of the Pack and Scent of Attraction from Sony sometime in 2028 or 2029. She said the journey has been major, and that she remains grateful for Browne’s professionalism and for the chance to operate in a way that feels true to herself.

Browne, who said he has had a 20-year association with Sony and has worked with other Jamaican acts, told THE STAR that Patra was the first artiste he wanted for JHOUSE. He said the partnership fits because her career helped shape the starting point, describing her as powerful, exacting and clear about her creative direction.

He said work is under way on the collaboration for the JHOUSE album as well as Patra’s own single. Browne described the arrangement as a partnership and said bringing Patra and her label into the Sony system in his 20th year with the company is a blessing.

Patra, whose given name is Dorothy Smith, became internationally known in the 1990s and helped open space for women in dancehall at a time when the genre was heavily led by men. Like many performers, she began singing in church before moving into dancehall under the name Lady Patra.

Her major international break came in 1994, when she appeared on Shabba Ranks’ hit Family Affair. She was later managed by Clifton ‘Specialist’ Dillon.

Songs including Worker Man and Romantic Call, which featured rapper Yo-Yo, performed strongly on the US Billboard charts and were widely played on MTV. Queen of the Pack remained at number one on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart for 13 weeks, helping to establish her as a major global dancehall name.

Patra later stepped away from the music business for an extended period. During that break, she turned her attention to earning a bachelor’s degree and building business ventures.