Born in Nassau, The Bahamas, Brettina began singing at the age of 5 years old, under the influence of her gospel-singer mother, Leona Coakley Spring and Uncles, Theo and Kirk Coakley of the band T-Connection. As a toddler, Brettina and her mother relocated to the United States, returning to the Bahamas during her school years where she won the 'Miss Talented Teen' competition, earning her a scholarship to the University of Washington and a move back to the U.S. The continuous struggle to learn, and fit into, two very distinct cultures has shaped her music and has helped her to evolve into the artist she is today.