For a population of 286,641 people, Barbados has been blessed with a proliferation of talented creatives who are all eager to make an indelible impact on the global music stage. Bajan music is evolving from being confined to just Bashment Soca. There is a rejuvenated sense of hope in the island that Barbados will once again produce talent that ascends to the top of world music in the unmistakable way that queen Robyn Rihanna Fenty did in the early 2000s. We were privileged to have spent time in the idyllic island for the latter half of 2020 as we went in search of the nation’s most prodigious musical talents.
Amanda Reifer
Amanda Reifer exemplifies ‘Pisces Power’ by embodying a spirit of resilience and determination that surpasses reasonable explanation. Amanda’s soulful vocals and intriguing songwriting ability pair well with her insatiable desire to look and feel like the highest version of herself at all times. Whether it is unfair or not, female artists aren’t only measured by their writing and vocal ability in order to be culturally impactful; they have to be easy on the eyes as well. Occasionally, Reifer shares some of her workouts with her fans through her Instagram story. The discipline depicted in Amanda’s is not only inspiring but indicative of Reifer’s understanding that music is a sport. 2020 saw Amanda Reifer pen her most successful song as a solo artist, ‘Rich Bitch Juice’, which amassed just under 400k streams on Spotify. Amanda Reifer’s work caught the attention of one of the greatest producers of our generation – Matthew “Boi-1da” Samuels. The Jamaican-born super producer has shown his sublime taste in female artists based on the instrumental role he has played in developing the careers of others, such as Snoh Aalegra. We foresee that connecting with him could be a major key to Amanda Reifer’s astronomical ascension in 2021.
CHiiEF DiiN
When you hear the tag line, “TOP FORM…… RECORDS!”, on a track you know without a shadow of a doubt that CHiiEF DiiN is about to set the track ablaze. Known for his witty lyrics and inspirational songwriting in his music, CHiiEF DiiN is one of the leaders in the recently-emerging Bajan dancehall movement. His songs tirelessly explore themes of ambition grounded by the persistent desire he has for upward mobility in a socio-economic climate tainted by colorism and prejudice. CHiiEF DiiN is one of the voices of the disenfranchised youth in Barbados; and if he continues to release motivational anthems for the masses, we anticipate that 2021 will be another outstanding year for the masterful lyricist.
LR
“I don’t trust words, I trust vibes! People will tell you anything.”
LR (Lone Realness) songs are always laced with gems of wisdom that apply to everyday life. His husky voice and captivating melodies pair well with his thoughtful writing style. He has certainly cemented himself as one of the leaders of the Bajan dancehall movement. The chemistry LR has with the silent genius of Swayne “Cjuh” Boyce from Starpoint Productions could be likened to the chemistry of two world-class opening batsmen at the crease for the West Indies. They understand each other’s artistry in a detailed way that is mutually complementary, and songs like ‘Sly’, ‘Chargie’ and ‘Private Zess’ (mainly featuring the gone but not forgotten Trinibad artist, K.Lion) proved in 2020 that their artistic chemistry is impactful. LR understands the importance marketing and used 2020 to strengthen his brand optics by consulting with iconic Bajan fashion director/art director, Junior Sealy. We anticipate that the combination of his talent and the refinery of his image could propel him to international superstardom, all while manifesting his dreams in 2021.
Saddis
“Mi tell you she will smile inna you face and laugh, and tell you how she wah the ting last – but she only want cash.”
Music is responsible for not only bringing delight to our hearts, but also commenting on the social challenges faced by both men and women in our Caribbean society. There is overwhelming evidence of extremely superficial mentalities that some of our young Caribbean women have been misled to uphold because of social media. Very few songs I heard in 2020, address this like ‘Sly’ by Saddis and LR. After being branded as a soca artist, Saddis began to abhor being put in a musical box. As a solo artist in search of his musical freedom, he began to venture into dancehall once again under the guidance of the silent genius of Swayne “Cjuh” Boyce, he found success. The Bajan masses now embrace that his artistic offerings are bigger than just soca, and they are just as excited as we are to hear what Saddis will bring to the table in 2021.
Lagoon Wavey
We don’t like to assume, but Lagoon Wavey’s most recent single, ‘Confidential’, has definitely struck a chord with the youth in Barbados. Wavey’s vocal styling and mellifluous tone make him a huge candidate to cross over into the international mainstream market. Having a unique educational background anchored by his training in classical music positions him as an artist who is more equipped to adapt to the formalities and structure of the international mainstream market. Sir Wavey’s music is incomparable in the Bajan music space, and we could not truly pinpoint anyone else who has a similar sound to him. Don’t ‘tell nobody’, but we definitely think Lagoon Wavey appropriately closes this list of our top artists to watch from Barbados for 2021.