King Diel’s ‘Daddy’ invites reflection on fatherly bonds

While Father’s Day can be a touchy topic for some, others consider themselves grateful to have experienced the love and care of their dads. For upcoming reggae artiste Adiel Thomas, better known as King Diel, the role his father played had a significant impact on his life, inspiring his new single, Daddy.

The lyrics are complemented by the instrumentation from producer Richard Spencer, creating a melancholy R&B-fused soundtrack. The song begins with a child’s poignant plea for its father, followed by the father’s heartfelt assurance of his commitment to caring for both the child and the mother.

“My dad has made a huge impact on my life. He is one of the best singers I know. He sings more in a classical style. I grew up doing music because I would have seen him singing. And, in terms of fitness­–as I am also a fitness trainer–I would have seen him running in the mornings. I think that’s how he would have impacted my life, just by watching him and seeing how he operates.” King Diel told The Gleaner.

The emotionally written tribute also serves as a reflective piece, encouraging listeners to think about their own relationships with their fathers or father-figures, regardless of whether those relationships are good or bad.

“There’s a line in it (the song) that says, ‘Take a look into your small world and tell me how you see your daddy’. I really would want listeners to consider what their dad was or is like. It could be good or ugly, because you know quite a few people have negative experiences with their fathers, but it could be just to process it and to perhaps come to some form of internal healing from listening to the song,” he shared, continuing, “And, if it’s a good experience with your father, I mean most of us it’s mixed really, but if it’s good then the reflection would be on the more positive side. So it’s to reflect on the relationship they have or had (for those who’s dads have passed), to process it, and to maybe heal from it.”

As a dad to his one-year-old son Amaris, King Diel strives to emulate his own father’s traits by spending quality time with his son and being a consistent anchor of support. He hopes to instil positive values in Amaris, wanting his son to see him as honest, hardworking, and disciplined.

Recalling one of his favourite memories with his dad as a youth, King Diel said, “I remember my father being a farmer, he’s a man from Portland. He used to live in Mandeville at the time ... and was studying theology at NCU while working on the farm. He would tell us that we need to eat the things weh we have on the farm. I remember going around to the farm a couple of times on a Sunday morning ... early... and me woulda see him a harvest the land.”

Despite starting off in gospel music around a decade ago, King Diel easily transitioned to reggae in 2018, releasing his first single I’m From Kingston. And now, the singer/songwriter is just on a mission to continue putting out good music.

“I’m working on a song that should come out right after Daddy for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, one of, or I must say, the biggest athlete in the world. So you can definitely look out for that. And, I’ll be releasing music every three weeks. I just put out a song a few weeks ago called Sweet Love.”

In the next five or 10 years, King Diel hopes that Daddy will rock the world like Boyz II Men’s A Song for Mama, inspiring global celebrations and heartfelt dedications to fathers everywhere and making waves far beyond Jamaica.

rollesha.laing@gleanerjm.com