The Winner of the Red Stripe/Irie FM Big Break competition Natasja Saad. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Members of the music and corporate community expressed shock yesterday as news spread of the death of Danish singer, Natasja Saad, last year's winner of the Red Stripe Big Break Competition.

Saad, who has been on the island since winning the competition, died on Sunday morning in a motor vehicle crash on the Hellshire main road in St. Catherine.

Red Stripe's Marketing Communica-tions Manager, Kim Lee, said in a statement that the corporate company's family regrets Saad's passing.

"She was a talented artiste with a promising career. Our thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time," said Ms. Lee.

To perform on Sumfest

Saad, 32, from Copenhagen in Denmark, won the talent contest last June, and earned a performance on Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest 2006.

Robert Russell, chairman of Summerfest Productions, who was yesterday informed of the artiste's death by the Gleaner Company said, too, that Saad was an excellent performer.

"She was a great young artiste. I really expected great things from her," said Mr. Russell.

The organiser of the annual music festival noted that the Danish's love and flair for reggae music was outstanding.

"I am truly saddened that she left us," he added.

Reports from the Constabulary Communication Network, are that, about 5:45 a.m. on Sunday, Saad was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla motor car that was heading towards the Hellshire beach.

The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Fort Street, and crashed into a utility pole.

The other passengers, both men, are still being hospitalised in serious condition. While the identity of one is still unknown, the other has been identified as Samuel Foster, 21, a fashion designer from Red Hills, St. Andrew.