Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
LEFT: Pansy Nesbeth and her daughter, Michelle 'D'Angel' Downer.
RIGHT: Marco Dean and his mom, D'Angel.

Teino Evans, Entertainment Coordinator

Of her five sisters and two brothers, Michelle Downer, more affectionately called 'Angel' (otherwise known as D'Angel), might very well be the epitome of being a 'mama's girl'.

This is not just because she was deemed a talented singer from a tender age, but also because Pansy Nesbeth, her mother, could always rely on her to 'inform' on her older siblings.

"Dem use to beat mi up an sey mi chat too much," Downer recalls of her sisters while they were growing up.

She adds, "I always use to want to follow them everywhere and if they didn't take me I'd tell on them. And even if they did take me along, I still use to guh back an talk what I see dem do."

Nevertheless, there is no evidence of favouritism where the children are concerned, as the members of the close-knit family that hails from Spanish Town is always very proud and supportive of one another.

According to Downer's mother, she is very proud of her daughter and admits "sometimes I cry reading the good stuff about her ... I know that there is a whole lot of people who love her and God is taking her where she ought to be. I'm very proud of her".

Downer's mother says she has always been very supportive of her daughter's career and despite her (D'Angel) artiste's biography stating that "she knew that she was born to be a star", it was also very accurate when it went on further to state that 'this dream was shared by her friends and family who honed her vocal ability when they would encourage her to sing and perform at an early age. In fact, they often served as her audience while she practised her vocals while entertaining them".

Proud mother

Downer's mother recalls, "I use to sit them down and make her sing and she use to sing Mariah Carey so well. So today I'm a proud mom, trust me."

Indeed, Pansy Nesbeth must be a proud mother when she looks at what her daughter has achieved to date, not only for her life as a mother herself, but also for her business and musical career.

But D'Angel says nothing beats the support of family as "we are close. They (mother and sisters) are the only family I know. And the love that I have for my mom and sisters is very affectionate and eternal. Everywhere you see me, you see them".

teino.evans@gleanerjm.com