Mz Fontaine was born in June 1978 in Guyana and given the birth name Naomi Romeo. At age 12, with the help of a sister, she emigrated to the United Kingdom (UK) and has made her name on the music scene. Time Out UK magazine referred to her as the “first out lesbian rapper” in the UK.
In an interview with GoMag, Fontaine said she prefers to be called “Mz” because she is neither a Mister nor Miss. She also made known “audiences sometimes are not quite ready for me and don’t know whether I am a boy or girl…but when I sing ‘Wavin’ Da Flag,’ which is a gay rights anthem, with me waving the rainbow flag on stage, then they get it.”
Fontaine- French for fountain- said she was a tomboy, growing up in Guyana, and loved to climb trees, particularly to get away from getting into trouble.
Sexual orientation and challenges
Fontaine said she knew whilst attending an all-girls school in the UK that she was “different” and attracted to girls. She reportedly found local gay youth groups to explore her emerging sexuality and began pursuing women and music with unadulterated ambition.
She explained her experience encountering negative reactions from women when she seeks to use the female’s restroom. Women would ask her to leave, often mistaking her for a man. She does not identity as “butch” but rather as a “female stud” and a boyish gentlewoman who prefers boxers. She said she sees herself as “feminine too.”
Music career
Fontaine began singing at choir exhibitions. Her love for music, she said, is influenced by her mother whom she recalls singing to her since the age of three or four. And from the tender age of five she was taken to every choir rehearsal her mother attended.
She performs both in the UK and United States and is known for her “playful rhymes” and gender ambiguity in her lyrics. In 2003, “New Era,” her first album was released. Her second album, “Spoken Thoughts.” was released in 2007. Mz. Fontaine renditions include songs such as Tick Tock, Street Dreamz, Pass Dat Crutch, Kiss Me Now, Stud Luv. Persons are directed to her MySpace page at myspace.com/mzfontz, and Spotify.
Some musical accomplishments
Certificates from the Institute of Music and Technology (London) in Sound Engineering and Teaching.
2007- Nominated for the Stonewall Entertainer Of The Year
Headlined performer at the “PARADISO” Amsterdam for World Aids Day
Served as Patron of London Pride Festival, alongside Elton John and Rhona Cameron.
Activists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) Rights
Fontaine is an ardent supporter of LGBTIQ rights. She participated in the EuroPride- a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBTI pride, hosted yearly by different European countries- offering her renditions.
She has appeared in the UK documentary “Gay to Z,” for Channel 4 Education to raise awareness on LGBT issues, including homophobia and school bullying. With her speaking openly about being harassed as a young Guyanese tomboy in the UK school system, she expressed hope that her outspokenness will help other children learn from her experience and to stop bullying.
In February 2007 she participated at a Schools Out Conference. Schools Out is an organisation in the UK that works toward equality in education for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
Source-internet
