Alborosie’s ‘Destiny’ fulfilled

Reggae singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Alborosie, dropped his newest album Destiny last Friday via Greensleeves Records, VP Records and Shengen Entertainment.

Destiny boasts an impressive list of collaborators with featured guest performances from Kabaka Pyramid, Buju Banton, Jaz Elise and Burro Banton, to name but a few. Exploring themes of faith, life, love and the power of music, Alborosie’s goal is to present a body of work that is relatable and humble.

“I cannot make music that reflects the non-relevant. My reggae should relate to the present,” declared Alborosie, who has worked on projects with reggae icons and innovators, including King Jammy, Wailing Souls, Roots Radics and Sly & Robbie.

Music critics hail the album as staying true to the artiste’s signature sound, which is a blend of authentic roots rock reggae and dub, peppered with songwriting skills and lyrical prowess.

The lead single, Viral, a bass-heavy slice of contemporary rub-a-dub, takes a conscious look at social media and its purpose in modern-day society. Despite the allure of virality, Alborosie rejects it for himself, choosing substance over gimmickry.

It’s over, voiceover

TikTok on di hour

Whenever, all over

Now look pon da post yah

So everybody waan go viral

Be a media idol

Most forward on TikTok

Moonwalking like Michael

Skating inna rider

But Pupa nah go do dat

This year, Alborosie is embarking on one of his biggest tours to date, a 31-city circuit which began on May 10 in Portland, Oregon, and ends on August 11 in Cape Verde. Throughout May, he will journey through the West Coast of America before heading to Europe in June, July and August for festival season.

One of reggae’s most successful touring artistes, Italy-born Alborosie, is also a prolific recording artiste with nine albums on the Greensleeves imprint to his credit. He describes himself as “a true disciple of roots reggae and dub music with a goal to expand the boundaries of the music with each new project”.