Nigy Boy honoured at Reggae Sumfest

Reggae singer, Nigy Boy, rocketed onto the Reggae Sumfest stage in Catherine Hall in Montego Bay, dressed in a space suit, an indication, as one fan said, that his performance would be "out of this world".

By the end of his performance, all agreed that it was indeed a huge step for the visually impaired artiste, reggae music and Reggae Sumfest.

In fact, so historic a moment it was that the St James Municipal Corporation awarded Nigel 'Nigy Boy' Hector the '2024 Silver Montego Bay Sumfest City Award' for his outstanding achievement in the area of entertainment. A citation noted that Nigy Boy, who has been described as the Jamaican Stevie Wonder, is "an example of someone rising like a phoenix".

It was a proud moment for the son of Montego Bay.

"It is a privilege being here and I like how everything come full circle, that my first ever performance was where I come from," the Flankers man, who now resides overseas, said upon accepting the award.

During his performance, he recalled his first time attending Reggae Sumfest as an audience member and said it was nothing short of amazing that he was now performing on stage.

The blind singer and unapologetic 'gallis', who graduated with honours from Stony Brook University in New York earlier this year, was in his element on stage with a coterie of dancers who brought the high energy. Early in his set, he did the gospel song Way Maker, followed by Soul Provider and then a tribute to his mother, Mommy Claudette, in which he noted that "I am the man I am today because of the sacrifices you made."

Among his other songs were Judgement, Get Wild, Karma, and of course, the monster hit, Continent, which was produced by Tarik 'Rvssian' Johnston.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com