Cocoa Tea overcoming feelings of depression with new track
Published:Thursday | December 16, 2021 | 12:08 AMSade Gardner/Staff Reporter
Veteran crooner Cocoa Tea is overcoming feelings of depression, thanks to a groovy, upbeat reggae rhythm that reignited a spark within him to resume recording and air his frustrations about the current times.
Weh Ya Gone is the name of the Bobby Konders-produced track, which reminisces on the “yesterday world” where curfews didn’t affect free movement, and dancehall events reigned supreme. Throughout his melodic vent, Cocoa Tea manages to engender good vibes as he belts “skank jiggy, jiggy, jiggy” every few bars, reminding folks that though the song is personal and relatable, he also wants people to feel good while listening to it.
The song has also made him feel good after what he described as a period where he was “out of it”.
“A lot of people have been sending me rhythms since this ‘plandemic’ thing come in, but I couldn’t relate to them because the rhythms are not something to make you make a happy song,” Cocoa Tea told The Gleaner. “Yuh waan coming out of this situation or even still being in this situation, for people to feel happy. When Bobby Konders send me the rhythm, I didn’t hesitate because when you hear it, you just want to party and dance. He even asked how much I would charge him, and mi tell him mi nuh need nothing fi sing pon this because me feeling like how mi feel fi the past two years, I need something to really cheer up mi spirit.”
He added, “It’s been a while since I’ve even felt like doing a song because we were so depressed, and all of those things just get to me, and I was out of it for a while. This song has awoken the fire inside of me, and I’m ready again.”
Now, he’s been doing press runs in Florida and is happy about feedback on the song.
“I get videos every day from radio people all across the spectrum, with some people even speaking Japanese and Spanish and languages I don’t know about – it’s crazy,” he said. “The song is just taking the world by storm. I’ve never done a song that has gotten this type of response in so many years. I am glad to know people are really gravitating to the song because the song was meant to get people up and running.”
TRACK’S AIM
The track also aims to inspire people to reassess their perceptions of politicians, or as Cocoa Tea encourages in the song, “fling politicians in your garbage heap”.
“What I’ve seen from the politicians since the pandemic come in is that the people have no rights,” he said. “Are we the ones that vote for politicians and put them there? Yes. But if the people put you there, how can you turn around and treat them like they have no rights and you don’t have no regards for them?... No matter how much the people come out and tell the politicians that their business is going down and not making any money, they show no love for the people. I haven’t been a fan of politicians for many years, and this mek it even worse.”
Though he’s been getting offers to perform at events, Cocoa Tea is focused on self-care while abroad. He said he’s working towards having a mental state where he can enjoy performing again.
“I’m not accepting any shows as yet; I’m just unwinding now and getting back myself together, getting fit and stuff like that because, like I said, I was really depressed and out of it for a while. Now, I’m getting back to where I want to be, as how I used to be.”