Island Girl INSIDER: Brand Ambassador’s Cannabis & Music Journey

No one knows the scoop on Island Girl quite like us. Rochelle Bradshaw, lead singer of the local Reggae band Hypnotion, has been a popular figure throughout the Northwest Arkansas community for many years. A longtime employee of The Source cannabis dispensary, Rochelle (or Chelle as she’s better known at work), started her journey as a budtender in 2021 as a side gig to her music career. Just like The Source outgrew its original small building in Bentonville, Rochelle outgrew her role as a budtender, evolving into our cannabis brand ambassador by blending her two passions – music and cannabis.

But let us tell you how it all started…

From Brand Ambassador to Cannabis Creator

It was over a year ago when Rochelle and The Source’s CEO, Amanda Strickland,  sat down together to conceptualize a new role at The Source: Brand Ambassador. The role was intended to act as a link between our company’s operations and the Northwest Arkansas community that we serve. 

With her deep roots in the local music scene and years of budtending experience, Rochelle was the perfect candidate to bridge that gap and represent The Source’s values authentically in the community. Little did we know that this role would evolve into something far more creative – leading to signature gummy recipes in The Source Apothecary (TSA) lineup, a debut album, and a completely new approach to cannabis brand partnerships.

The Island Time Success Story

Rochelle locked into her new role as The Source brand ambassador, and began creating her first signature gummy recipe, one that encapsulated her Jamaican heritage of feeling irie and the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis. Thus, “Island Time” gummies were born, featuring the tropical flavors of Jamaican fruit like banana, pineapple, mango, coconut, and guava. Not only are these gummies delicious, but Rochelle made sure to keep your whole-health in mind, enriching our signature THC-pure recipe with minor cannabinoids also found in the cannabis plant, CBD and CBG. 

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With the addition of these two cannabinoids, Rochelle created an incomparable gummy in taste and in experience, and set our house brand, The Source Apothecary, on fire! “Island Time” gummies were such a hit with the Northwest Arkansas cannabis community that we captured its island flavors and vibes and made it into a vape cart too. Word spread throughout the medical cannabis scene and we soon took our gummies across the state, landing in towns all over the state of Arkansas, and extending our reach in helping people in their wellness journeys.

When Cannabis Meets Creativity: How Island Time Became Island Girl

With the creation of “Island Time,” Rochelle was inspired to write ‘Island Girl,’ a song that would one day become the title track of her debut solo album, but we’ll get to that in a minute. The success of “Island Time” unlocked something creative in Rochelle.

Lo (Tide) and behold, song after song began pouring out of Rochelle, all with themes of empowerment, compassion, and the love of weed. This creative wave soon took her down to her homeland of Jamaica in November of 2024, where she got to work in the recording studio. 

Jamaica Inspiration: Hi Tide & Lo Tide Development

While in Jamaica, Rochelle found inspiration for her next gummy flavors. “Hi Tide” became the next staple in the TSA lineup, launching in the beginning of 2025.  Inspired by the Jamaican holiday drink sorrel, “Hi Tide” gummies are made by cold steeping hibiscus flower for 14 hours and adding ginger (for its digestive benefits) and Jamaican allspice for a little kick. To combat the laidback vibe of her “Island Time” gummies, Rochelle chose to add a blend of stimulating cannabinoids, CBG and THCV, that help with lack of focus and low energy levels.

To round out her gummy collection, Rochelle created her third and final formula: Lo Tide, a banana rum gummy with a salty sweet coating. The perfect nightcap, Rochelle enriched this dessert-like treat with the cannabinoids CBC, CBD, and CBN for ultimate relaxation. This gummy is seriously a must-have for dealing with sleep issues. And it’s tasty.

Island Girl Album Release

Coinciding with the release of Lo Tide and The Source’s 6 year anniversary, Rochelle released her debut solo album “Island Girl” in August 2025, featuring the title track ‘Island Girl.’ Rochelle and her band Hypnotion have put on one badass concert after another, getting us in the groove and on island time – from George’s Majestic in Fayetteville to the Railyard Live in downtown Rogers. With her collection of island-inspired gummies and her solo reggae album, Chelle is the ultimate Island Girl without a doubt.

And with the release of her album, we’ve come full circle. “Island Girl” is an evergreen reminder of the creativity that we pour into every single thing that we do at The Source. Thanks to Rochelle, we realized that we could offer you creative formulas that embody a mood while keeping your whole-health in mind. 

So thank you, Rochelle, for representing us through your artistry. 

We hope you love the album as much as we do. Be sure to download and listen to it (Crucial High is a vibe!). Don’t forget to pair your jam session with one of Rochelle’s signature TSA products – you can trust us when we say, you’ll be feeling irie in no time.

About The Source Cannabis Dispensary and Apothecary in Northwest Arkansas 

The Source Dispensary and Apothecary is a craft medical marijuana company located in Rogers, Arkansas, just off Exit 85 on Interstate 49. With its own boutique grow, lab, and kitchen, The Source produces and distributes its own unique products, while also stocking all of the highest quality products produced by the great cultivators of Arkansas. We value friendliness, education, quality, & inclusivity. The Source is a destination dispensary - all Arkansas MMJ cardholders welcome!