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No-Maddz maintains international market

Published:Friday | November 2, 2018 | 12:00 AMSade Gardner
The members of No-Maddz, Sheldon Shepherd (left), Everaldo Creary (right), and producer Walshy Fire in London.

Word-of-mouth marketing is what No-Maddz member Everaldo Creary is crediting for the group's international demand. The now reggae-dub duo has been making the rounds at several international festivals this year, most recently, the Disko Africa Film Festival in Bali, Indonesia, in September to aid victims of the 4.4 magnitude earthquake that affected the country in August.

"It was the most tearful encore we have ever received," Creary told The Sunday Gleaner. "It was like they had never heard anything like us before. They really love Jamaica and our culture, and it was really great performing for charity," he said.

Sheldon Shepherd, the other half of the duo, is still in Indonesia doing charity work.

No-Maddz also performed at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in California in June and the Reggae Geel Festival in Belgium in August.

"We give thanks. it's the good work," he said. "Over the years, the one thing that works for us is word-of-mouth marketing. We've been performing at these festivals over the years, and promoters tell us that it's the fans who always request us. It's a different ball game performing on these festivals. You won't see many of the locally hyped artistes, but once you're good and positive, they will have you."

It's been a year since the once four-member group became a duo, and while Creary did not wish to go into the details of the group's reduction, he said, "it feels light, like it's gonna soar. I won't compare the times, but it's a little better now".

 

SHOT IN LONDON

 

No-Maddz recently released the visuals for Clarkz Like Dis, the debut track from their upcoming sophomore album Heaven on Earth. The track features Eriq Sterling and was produced by Major Lazer's Walshy Fire and The Wixard. The video was shot in London while No-Maddz was promoting the Idris Elba-directed film Yardie in which they have key roles.

"The video is rebellish and quirky, and we are loving the feedback so far," he said. "It has an international appeal, which could be a coincidence because we were in London."

No-Maddz co-directed the project alongside Miael McGeachy. The song was conceptualised last year.

"The vibe came about when Sheldon was going through his wardrobe and found a Clarks him have for more than 10 years and it still good," he said. "On my first day of the Yardie shoot, we were talking about Clarks - how economic it is, knock-off Clarks, how our culture supports the brand, and Vybz Kartel - who has the biggest Clarks song. Jamaica really has an inseparable union with Clarks, so it would be unfair to stop wearing it."