Dancehall and reggae artistes are once again in high demand by the international market due to the recent resurgence of dancehall music, according to artistes' managers. "Yes, there's a higher demand in them man. Our music itself is in whole heap a demand more than how people woulda seh it is and it nuh surround no one artiste, contrary to how people woulda a talk bout it either.
It is bigger dan how dem a terms it [because] the music a grow," veteran promoter Heavy D told THE WEEKEND STAR . He shared that there is also a "balanced playing field" in terms of the artistes being booked. "The '90s artistes dem a work every weh [and] so too the young artistes.
It's not like it's one sided and yuh have one set a people a work and one set naah work, because there's a lot of shows keeping all over the world at the same time with same dates. People start keep show more than they usually keep and that is what cause the demand also for both reggae and dancehall [artistes]. Yuh can't guh a airport and nuh artiste nuh deh deh," he said.
He noted that over the past few months, he has seen an increase in bookings for dancehall/reggae acts such as Rajah Wild, Malie Donn, Spice, Shenseea, Pablo YG, Gyptian, Etana and Capleton. Heavy D is also the owner of Reynold's Booking Agency, operated by him and his business partner, Tameka Reynolds. Artiste manager Paul 'Pallwell' Morgan said he has also observed the recent increase which stems from a revival of the old dancehall beats which attracted several new acts.
"Simple, original dancehall is running the world, regardless of what others might think, because the other day [there were talks] about this Afrobeat and I'm not hearing that any more. But what you're hearing now is the resurrection of the old dancehall rhythms and they are running the cut now. So that's a clear indication that dancehall is at the peak of entertainment globally, and, as such, more if not all of the local artistes are in heavy demand for the international market," said Morgan.
However, Heavy D said the local market has gone to parties more than stage shows. "People don't want to be looking at a stage for five to six hours any more, dem want a hour or two outta di stage and den dem waah party. [So] the local market is now asking for one and two artistes per show.
[Also, artistes] don't need to over-expose themselves in Jamaica because after a while, yuh affi stop and move along. For example, Buju will come and do a one show and then Kartel now ago come and duh fi him one show. Dem naah guh really duh no more show inna Jamaica," he said.
"[With] Kartel being free, it nuh stop nutten, and people in demand same way because dancehall huge and every man counted from in the '90s weh sing hit song from then to now." With social media platform TikTok, YouTube and Instagram being more accessible for everyone to share and listen music, he said it also played a great role in widening the musical landscape of local music. "Jamaica a di party capital a di world so people come here for the music and the people.
Especially in the hotels where people in the Caribbean are more hospitable and use music to entertain their guests. In the Jamaican hotels, yuh have the music a play near the pool wid the excitement. When a song buss a Jamaica, di hotels play it whole day and the tourists pick it up.
The hotel system plays such a great role in the music industry and dats why dem win so many awards and people keep on come back.".
