Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Although he is from Trinidad, Jamelody has chosen to sing reggae. - Contributed photos

Trinidad is known mostly for soca music, but this is not the route along which Jamelody wanted to make his musical trod. Instead, it is reggae.

Jamelody, whose real name is Michael Williams, is from Port of Spain, Trinidad. He said he was hardly exposed to carnival and soca music.

"I didn't grow up in that lifestyle with carnival. The vibe they put into the music (soca) make no sense. You wouldn't want your child to be singing that. I rather listen a song that my youths can relate to," Jamelody says.

He adds, "Reggae music has a more conscious vibe and it is always about reality. I wouldn't mind doing a song in soca, but it would have to be my vibe - reality."

Jamelody started doing music in high school when he was asked by classmates to join a group called Brothers with Voices. While he was part of the group he did only R&B and gospel.

However, when he left high school he started a relationship with a girl who was a Rastafarian and she encouraged him to become one, leaving Christianity behind. The group broke up two years into his relationship.

exposed to the world

"I was a Seventh-day Adventist. Growing up I was still searching; I wasn't exposed to the world. I didn't go to much carnival; that made me calm and not much of a hype person," he tells The Sunday Gleaner.

He says, "It was a fight for my mom, being a Rasta, but based on the support that I am getting all over the world it's all good now."

Having a Trinidadian accent, Jamelody says he tries as much as possible to sound like other Jamaican artistes so that his music can sound like authentic reggae. He admires Sizzla for his ability to stay current; Jah Cure, Mikey Spice and Garnet Silk for their style and sound; and Beres Hammond because he sings R&B.

"People always tell me that I have a nice voice and a nice melody. I tell them that it's not my melody, it's Jah melody," he says, explaining how he got his stage name.

Jamelody's talent has helped him to earn a five-album deal with VP Records. So far he has released his debut album, Be Prepared, and says the single, Love Crazy, which is from the album, is doing well and the music video is in heavy rotation on Jamaican television stations. In addition, his cover version of Stevie Wonder's Ribbon In The Sky is doing well in New York. His next single to be released is Since You Been Away.

Jamelody says he has many things in the pipeline, but his focus is mainly on doing promotional work to lay the foundation for a successful career. He says he has shows in New York, Caribbean and Europe. Also, he says he is excited about having his album launch in Trinidad at the end of June.

"I try not be too regular in Trinidad. Back home, that is where I get most respect and honour. That's how it should be. It's not what you do, but how you do it," he says.

Nonetheless, Jamelody says he is happy about being in Jamaica and getting interviews as a reggae artiste. He said when he decided to do music his aim was to be signed to a major label and he has achieved that with VP Records.

However, Jamelody says he will not do music solely for the purpose of sales as he believes that his music should have a message.