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5 Questions With I-Wayne - fully loaded

Published:Wednesday | November 28, 2018 | 12:00 AMKimberley Small/Gleaner Writer

Even if his delicately smooth falsetto has not been a constant on the local reggae-music scene, I-Wayne has never slowed down. In today's edition of 5 Questions With, the vocalist, known for his romantic melodies, reveals that he is constantly on the grind - in the studio and on the stage. So far this year, the Can't Satisfy Her singer has performed for fans in Canada; Washington, DC; and Trinidad and Tobago.

He has also spent a lot of time recording. "I'm fully loaded. Right now I have The Golden Touch, the girl dem love it so much," he sang out during the interview. "I have Hundred Spliff - even if I smoke a 100 spliff, from reality, I still nah drift away," he sang again. He also has a new song called Too Much Badness, for Not Nice Records, and upcoming collaborations with Clymaxx and Capone.

"We nuh run lef', we keep working. Mi still a record, so when time comes ... dem ready," I-Wayne told The Gleaner.

You have been off the radar. Why is that?

Not because people don't really hear from me; mi nuh sit down like that. I keep working. When the show dem come up, I deal with them. The space have to free up because people have to get dem time to expose dem talent. Mi nuh haffi deh out deh. We need the rejuvenation. Nuh every second yuh haffi deh a road. You must get some free time.

The December period is a busy time for entertainers. What does your December look like?

It's always a busy time - stage shows and ting. Popcaan have a show (Unruly Fest). I have a stage show at Port Henderson. In my community, on December 24, mi have a kiddies' treat and fun day type of ting. Every December 24, we give a strength, whatever we can. A suh me deal with it. And sometimes we get artistes to perform.

Do you celebrate the holidays in any special way?

Mi nuh celebrate or none a dem type a ting. I just work as me normally work, in the studio recording or doing dubs. Mi nuh have nuh special feeling. Nuh pepper lights, nuh Christmas tree, nuh big dinner. Keep it simple. If a porridge, a just porridge. You have some people swell up like dem ah buss. Ah dem style dat. Cornmeal porridge for Sunday dinner, or porridge after Christmas dinner. How that sound? Sound good?

What about family traditions? Is there any kind of reunion at the end of the year?

We see family right through. It's not because of manners I link with my mother. Because mi a artiste, work can appear any time. So I just keep it natural. Mi nuh wait until Mother's Day or any other day.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artistes?

You need to focus on you work. Keep it genuine and real, and give thanks for others' work.

The music can expose itself to you. People ask, 'How him keep doing it? How him keep finding the nice songs?' It's not buck-ups. It's because I'm strolling through a form of purity. It have to work because it's natural. So, if it nuh sound good, mi nuh bodda with it. 'Fool-fool' song on my nice-nice riddim? Mi nah bodda. Suh mi keep it nice and clean.

Bonus: Who are you listening to now?

Kabaka Pyramid, Jah-9 - all of them. Nuttin nuh wrong. Mi haffi hear wah dem a seh and know who is who. We nuh fighting against nuh music. All calypso mi listen when mi hear it. Mi wah know wah dem a seh because I want people to hear my songs as well.

kimberley.small@gleanerjm.com