In his youth, Michael Williams, known on the reggae scene as JaMelody, dreamed about being on stage with impassioned crowds singing his music.
In 2002, Williams’ dream took off when he burst onto the local and regional reggae circuit with Never Let You Down and went on to grab attention internationally. Twenty years on, the people can’t get enough of the honey-voiced singer and his smooth soulful melodies.
Easily one of the most requested artistes in T&T, JaMelody has made his rounds at a host of events since pandemic restrictions eased, offering his typical reggae vibrations and throwing in a little soca, which he first tried late last year.
The prolific artiste was expected to appear on Reggae Thursday night at Great Fete in Tobago. Even individual gigs like performing at people’s weddings are difficult to turn down. It’s all part of fulfilling his mission, he told the Sunday Guardian recently.
“Most of the people, they come to me—diehard fans—they would say: I have muh wife, Brethren. I just want you to come and sing one song. I will pay whatever the price is. And these are things I wouldn’t turn down because I get to realise my music have a great impact on people’s lives, so I have to be there for them,” he said.
Williams takes none of the demand for his music for granted, especially after living through a pandemic. He is grateful to be in the lineup for the mega concert “Redemption 2022: The Return” carded for August 27. Boasting a cast of reggae legends like Jamaicans Tarrus Riley, Richie Spice, Sanchez, and Luciano, and homegrown Isasha and Ziggy Rankin, alongside JaMelody, in this seventh edition, the concert is billed as a love fest rekindling positive vibes among the people after two years of gloom. It is promoted by Tropix Entertainment and Ricky Raghunanan Group of Companies.
“The pandemic was tough for us, being entertainers and artistes, we had no gigs coming in. We had nothing, so I would say this is a great opportunity. I get to realise that Redemption is one of the greatest shows because the world looks at it and I’m proud to represent Trinidad and Tobago with reggae music. Right after the pandemic, we started to get a lot of calls,” Williams said.
For Williams, gigs have never been in a short supply. Just before the pandemic struck T&T in March 2020, his schedule had been packed. Despite the gruelling setback, he was still able to learn some valuable lessons.
“The pandemic taught us a lot in mastering our trade and concentrating more on writing songs. I didn’t even know we would have had that opportunity, as people would say, of being normal again.
“The majority of people was more on a conscious level, I would say, turning to God, praying, begging for forgiveness,” he said.
Acknowledging that artistes were not the only ones enduring a tough time during the pandemic, Williams said he is thankful to God that it is over as it was very tragic for some and for many a time of mourning.
The Love Crazy singer told us “Better Gonna Come One Day” promises to deliver “The Best of (Himself)” at the event come August. From social media responses so far, when the high registers of his “I Love You” pierce the air at T&T’s concert capital three weeks from now, “JAH ALONE” will be able to keep the ladies at bay. It will indeed be “Beautiful”.
“The public can expect to be seeing one of their own Trinidadian artistes representing in a big and special way. I’m going to come out with one of my best performances just to make this country feel real proud,” he said.
This should be an easy feat for Williams who dropped his first hit 20 years ago with Jet Star Records of Jamaica and made waves again not long after with “Be Prepared”, as part of a rhythm compilation with Jamaican master reggae and dancehall producer Robert Dixon (Bobby Digital). It would lead to him being signed by the world’s largest reggae music and distribution label VP Records, propelling the JaMelody brand to markets in North America, Europe and Australia.
The reggae bard, who said the love he receives at home and on his tours abroad inspires him to be a better artiste, was adamant when asked whether the Soca We Love soca single he dropped last year had now made him a crossover artiste.
“The future holds a lot of surprises. I believe I’ve entered that realm because my music has played all over the world and my aim is not just to be a reggae artist but a main recording artiste who (is) capable of doing any genre of music once I could bring my vibes; JaMelody is positive vibes. Soca is part of my heritage so I would definitely take part in it,” he said.
As to how he made his soca debut last year, Williams explained that as a producer he had recorded tracks for artistes like Black Loyalty (Keon Jones) and Jaron Nurse and was always experimenting. At Anthony Chow Lin On’s (Chinese Laundry) studio one day, he played a soca track he had held for about five years.
“The moment he heard it, he say yo: I want to work with this song.”
Encouraged, Williams decided to venture into soca. “Soca We Love” is part of a groundbreaking nine-track Caribbean music album mixed in the state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos format which allows listeners to hear the music and artiste with extraordinary clarity and depth. It was released by Chinese Laundry Music and Maha Productions in collaboration with Shayegan Media and features other artistes like Kes and collaboration with Machel Montano, Ravi B (Ravi Bissambhar) and Azaryah.
JaMelody
A Carenage native, Williams grew up singing in the church choir. Building on his talent during his school career at Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive, he joined the popular 90s local R&B group Brothers with Voices.
Meeting Nera who would “show” him “a whole different way of life” and become his wife would change his course. He embraced her Rastafarian beliefs and began to sing reggae.
“I believe that is where my whole career started. I was singing back then, but where it started is when I accepted Rastafari. From there it became a different level, the whole act of who I am today which is JaMelody,” he said.
Williams was one of the first Trini reggae pioneers to gain major recognition.
“I would say I was one of the first artistes to really get the big forward because Queen Omega was there before me, then I came, then Marlon Asher, then Isasha and Prophet Benjamin. So I’m proud to be like the beginning of it and still going hard, and also to be an inspiration and encouragement to the young upcoming artistes as well.”
He said signing with a big label for the first time was a phenomenal experience.
“I was young in the industry and the feeling was like a dream come true because is something I’d been thinking about way before I could even sing my first song in a studio. I always used to like walking on the roadside and hearing crowds singing in my head and I was seeing myself on a stage and that kinda vibes.”
Nera was signed as his songwriter. Excited for him, she was somewhat overwhelmed about how she would cope in the industry.
“I was kinda sceptical because I didn’t know much about the business. I didn’t know what I was getting into so I had to ask a lot of people for advice, but for him, I was very excited because it was something he (had) worked for,” she recalled.
But Nera’s fears were unfounded. Writing for her is like saying a prayer. Together, and with help from above, they became a force.
“We were the words and song. We were waiting for the power to enter. We could have only gotten the power when we involved the Almighty,” Nera said of how they first started.
They were together for 18 years before they got married as their focus had been on Williams’ “calling”. Inspired by God, love for each other and love for humanity, their love story and daily life embody the lyrics of many of their songs.
“The music is real. It truly was reflecting on my relationship, knowing that someone could love someone deeply like a husband and wife could love each other. So we try to make every song as real as possible. Just what you see, is what you hear and it affects the fans just as if I was singing it to them. Is all a connection,” he said.
“And as I say, you know, nothing like that happens without the Most High. I always try to put in the Most High. Is about righteousness because without righteousness, you wouldn’t get that kind of progress.”
Apart from promoting the JaMelody brand overseas, progress has also meant launching the Journey Studio Records and Lounge in Morvant. Opened on July 17 with the help of businessman Akil Earl and MP for Laventille East/Morvant, Adrian Leonce, Journey Studio Records and Lounge will also host Reggae Sundays and encourage youths who have a “spark” to realise their potential to be stars, Williams said. With JaMelody Music becoming more of an empire, the singer will be back in the studio in Jamaica soon and the public can look forward to more music, more shows, and more videos of a higher calibre.
“JaMelody is here and we won’t give up. We just coming harder and harder, more professionalism, more vibes,” he said.
VIP cabanas for Redemption: The Return
After a two-year drought of in-person events due to COVID, reggae fans can expect two major bonuses when Redemption the Concert is revived for 2022. Dubbed the “The Return”, spokesperson for the popular reggae concert series Seon Isaacs said that for its seventh edition this year, the cast alone would be a monumental experience for many of the fans of the concert usually held at T&T’s concert capital, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
The lineup is confirmed as Jamaican reggae icons Tarrus Riley, Richie Spice, Sanchez and Luciano, and local reggae talent JaMelody, Isasha and Ziggy Rankin. It will be the first time Richie Spice, Luciano and Isasha will be performing at Redemption and their presence is much-anticipated.
In addition to general admission and special reserved ticket options, a limited number of patrons can also choose to enjoy an executive cabana VIP experience, a feature introduced this year. Here a group of ten will be treated to privacy with all-inclusive perks of an ultra-premium bar, finger foods, personal VIP services from trained professionals, security, close parking and restrooms.
Describing the concert’s fans as “family”, Isaacs said during the pandemic many were reaching out concerned about what would happen to the Redemption brand.
“People are excited to free up themselves. We’re trying to gather everybody back out to what we know as the concert capital – and now we are deeming it the epicentre of the world’s largest roundabout – to celebrate total togetherness on that day. We guarantee that all our people will have a great time because it’s going to be one of those concerts of epic proportions,” he said.
The concert will bring together artistes who will continue the love people showed to each other during the pandemic which the world needs right now, he said.