Five Questions with ... Qyor

Though once known as the soulful Chevaughn, Qyor is shedding his child-star skin while maintaining just that flavour that had Jamaicans falling in love with his melodic perspectives. Catching the eye of reggae legends like Tony Rebel and Jimmy Cliff early on, Qyor is now adding another layer to his discography with his new dancehall flair. Making an appearance at the Kingston leg of Dexta Daps’ Trilogy Tour, Qyor caught up with The Gleaner to give us a taste of what he’s been up to in Five Questions with ... .

1. Why the rebrand to Qyor?

The rebrand is important. I think, as weh dem call a ‘child star’, I’ve always been infant of media from I was like 10 years old . So, after a while, you using your government name and it’s a good thing because people know you ... but, after a while, you have to see where you can allow people to see the growth. And that’s something that Qyor represents. The sound that I’ve brought, how I write, how I create my music, how I write my songs, how I evoke that spirit of join me when I’m singing. That’s the power of maybe the anthems that I have written, and that’s the Qyor. It’s not me alone anymore as Chevaughn you know, it’s the inclusion of everyone that has a voice and not so confident in their voice, just join the choir and sing with me?

2. As a grown-up child star, did you ever feel any pressure to promote a certain image of yourself?

I’ve seen where it was asked of me and expected of me. I’ve lost money, I’ve lost offers by saying no. So ... pressure ... no, but I’ve seen where it was easy to think that that was the route. To sell myself short, not short of what they were saying, but short of my own self and my own image of myself. So, give thanks for the parents that I was blessed with and the ones around as musical family who was like, ‘no man just gwaan do your thing and you will see it make sense. Just gwaan be true to the musical spirit weh you have.

3. You have a particular writing style. Have you been writing for other artistes lately?

I’ve always been writing with and for different artistes. When you see me around an artiste, the magic I see an them is the magic they see in me. So, anywhere you’ve seen me, anywhere in the world of times past where I’ve shown up with artistes, it’s because we’re working nothings or because we have worked on stuff. It’s because I honour them and them honour me the same kind of way.”

4. So, this synergy with Delta, does that mean you’ve written stuff for him as well?

With him, for sure. I’ve always been learning so much from him. He’s a very generous brethren with information. I’ve worked with a lot of artistes, you know, and, bless the ones that I have worked with who have a good heart and mean well ... for sure he’s one of them. So, give thanks for that and give thanks for his spirit and how he mentors [and] how he treats all his artistes. People should look at how he approaches it and how he introduces them, not what him seh. So is an honorable brethren, man, as much as nuff people might question the rawness of his approach, it is a very honest thing, and sometimes the honesty is the best thing.

5. We’re wrapping up 2023, what can we expect from you for 2024?

Nothing short of what you saw in 2023. I doh like the talking thing no more. After a while, it becomes a thing where you have to make a promise and you disappoint. Life is happening in so many beautiful ways. I’ve written projects and say ‘Yow, I going to release it’ and then I held them and take one out of it and drop them as singles. I decided this year ... give thanks to the help of Dexta, too, and my team ... we dropping a whole lot of music. Give thanks for Kranium and Dexta for Be High, which was a beautiful reintroduction to my sound and the name Qyor.

shanel.lemmie@gleanerjm.com