If determination had an avatar, it might look a little like Sekeena Simon-Siddique.
Just months after arriving in Antigua from London with what was ostensibly a one-way ticket, the 32-year-old jazz singer had already secured coveted evening performances at some of the island’s most exclusive resorts and venues.
But Sekeena’s story is about more than a growing music career. It is a story about heritage, taking a leap of faith and discovering a connection to Antigua that she hadn't realised she was missing.
Finding her way home
Sekeena grew up in Leicester in a Caribbean household, with music providing the soundtrack to everyday life.
Her grandparents on both sides were Windrush-era migrants to Britain, making her own decision to move in the opposite direction, from Britain back to the Caribbean, particularly poignant.
Her father’s family came from Jamaica and childhood holidays there were a regular part of her upbringing. Her connection to her mother's Antiguan heritage, however, was less familiar.
When she first visited Antigua in 2025 with a friend, she had no plans to stay.
“I’d never visited before and had no intention of staying. I’d almost forgotten I was Antiguan,” she recalls.
Then something changed.
The landscape, the warmth of the people and the simple ritual of being greeted with a “good morning” made an immediate impression.
“I had a moment. I felt so relaxed — the mountains, the people, the way everyone says good morning. I fell in love with all of it.”
Finding her family proved surprisingly easy in Antigua's close-knit community. After mentioning to a taxi driver that her family came from Urlings and giving him her surname, she was taken directly to a relative's home.
Meeting her grandmother's sisters and cousins was an emotional experience — and soon afterwards, Sekeena had secured her birthright citizenship and was planning a future on the island.
Finding her voice
Music had always come naturally.
With songs constantly playing in the family home, Sekeena began singing from an early age. She went on to study music and business at university before undertaking professional training to develop her craft.
In London, she formed a three-piece band with a bass player and keyboardist. The group built a following on the city's vibrant pub and live music circuit, performing everywhere from the legendary Ronnie Scott's jazz club to The Dorchester.
Today, she performs under the name Phoenix Jazz.
Her influences include some of the great names in jazz and soul - Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Etta James - while her repertoire ranges from Nat King Cole's L-O-V-E and Amy Winehouse's Back to Black to the timeless Fly Me to the Moon.
Although she is most comfortable performing well-loved classics, Sekeena also writes original material, particularly for emerging dance music DJs.
A new stage
Antigua has quickly provided Sekeena with an impressive collection of stages of its own.
She currently holds a residency at Maia, the stylish waterfront restaurant at South Point, and has performed at venues including Cocobay, Loose Cannon, Galley Bay, Le Bistro, Abracadabra, Al Porto and Los Cabrones in Jolly Harbour.
Her approach is as bold as her voice. Sekeena admits that she is not afraid to put herself out there, even if it means singing “uncomfortably in people's faces”.
“I have a forward personality,” she says. It is a quality that has clearly served her well in establishing herself in a new market.
Embracing island life
When she isn't performing, Sekeena is busy getting to know her new home.
She enjoys hiking, taking local excursions and cooking, with Caribbean food holding a particularly special place in her heart.
“They call Caribbean food ‘soul food’ because you get that feeling of love,” she says. “It comes from a sad place but it’s been made happy. I love to hold onto that.”
Fungee and saltfish, dumplings, banana and yam are among her favourites, while local restaurant discoveries range from Wild Tamarind to the much-loved Alligators in St John's.
She is also looking towards the future. One of her ambitions is to acquire a handful of rental properties and establish a foothold in the Airbnb market.
For Sekeena, moving to Antigua isn't a temporary adventure. She's building a life here.
A different kind of success
Island living has inevitably brought adjustments.
Some everyday conveniences work differently, and ordering something from Amazon is certainly no longer quite the same experience.
But Sekeena says those changes have also altered her perspective.
She has become more conscious of what she uses and more appreciative of what she has.
Most importantly, she has found something she felt was missing from her life in Britain: balance.
Reflecting on the pressures of rising costs and the daily cycle of working and paying bills, she describes the decision to move as a turning point.
“I’m at a stage in my life now where I want to do what I love, and be where I love. And I love this place.”
Then comes the simplest explanation of all.
“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I feel like I’m home.”
