US-based Ghanian-born Recording
artiste John Q whose given name is John Kwesi Quansah recently
visited Jamaica to shoot two music videos for his latest Reggae Singles Born
Alone and Give me Your Love.
The
visit came just in time for the release of his debut album “Feel
Good Reggae”.
“It’s a pleasure to be back in Jamaica to mark this significant milestone.
Reggae is in my blood, and Jamaica is the home of Reggae so it is a seamless
match to be able to shoot my videos here,” John Q said.John Q visited Jamaica in February and recorded six tracks at Tuff Gong Studios, the birthplace of some of reggae legend Bob Marley’s greatest work. The tracks are featured on the album which is produced by Sidney Mills for his label, SPI Music.
Born Alone channels self-love and encourages listeners to empower themselves regardless of their circumstances. The song kicks off with the lyrics:
John Q said the inspirational track is his way of using Reggae music as a vehicle of change for conscious upward mobility. “We all have greatness in us, but first we must believe it, and then we need to act on it, only then will we achieve our full potential,” he expounded.
Give me Your Love which is predominantly sung in English is a lovers rock Reggae song, with a chorus also in Twi.
John Q’s songs including Born Alone, Reggae Babaoo, Rain and Sun, and Gonna be More, his collaboration with Jamaican gospel singer-songwriter Claudius England continue to receive airplay on radio stations in the Jamaica, Ghana, the United States, and London.
“Born alone and
I’ll die alone, I need to love myself before anyone. It nuh matter what dem
really wanna say, well it nuh matter what dem really wanna do. It nuh matter
how dem really wannna treat you, it nuh matter how dem really wanna judge you…”
If you love anyone more
than yuhself, it will break your heart and it will make you cry, you need to be
strong to help someone weak, you need to love yourself before anyone. Take time
and make yourself happy, life may be rough but you don’t need to worry, you
need to enjoy yourself.
The lyrics challenge
listeners to take time to make themselves happy, and asks self-evaluation questions
“When was the last time you made yourself happy? When was the last time you had
a little good time?” and commandeers them to “Stop trying so hard to be
accepted, stop forcing the people to love you”, then settles that true
acceptance and love come when you are naturally yourself.
“Your love is
the greatest thing that makes me smile, it makes me dance.
Give me your
love, give me your love, because your love is so real”
Ariff Butler, CEO of
Bloozick Multimedia, the production company tasked to shoot both videos said
his team is looking forward to working with John Q. “He has some positive and
uplifting lyrics and we are happy to be on board to bring them to life through
our lenses,” said Butler.
Born in West African nation
of Ghana, John Q migrated to the United States to further his studies, and has
been living there for the last 25 years. He sings in English, Twi and Ga, and
is also fluent in Spanish. Despite the upcoming album being his first, his love
affair with music started in his teenage years.
He was exposed to a variety of genres of music while growing up, but settled on Reggae after hearing Bob Marley’s song “One Drop”. The infectious beat provide soul-reaching inspiration which has been a magnetic-like attraction pulling him back to the music and never allowing him to wander too far.
He was exposed to a variety of genres of music while growing up, but settled on Reggae after hearing Bob Marley’s song “One Drop”. The infectious beat provide soul-reaching inspiration which has been a magnetic-like attraction pulling him back to the music and never allowing him to wander too far.
