Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer
LEFT: Tarrus Riley points out that on a recent trip to Barcelona, Spain, people who did not speak English were in tune with the melody of 'She's Royal'.
Contributed
RIGHT: Da'Ville says the dance craze is still around, but there is room for other kinds of music.

Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Many producers, artistes and reggae music lovers have agreed that the authentic reggae music sound has returned to the fore, as songs like Tarrus Riley's She's Royal and Tessanne Chin's Hideaway have revived the popularity of the music.

According to Robert Livingston, deejay Shaggy's manager, "the authentic reggae sound is really coming back on the forefront right now, wid like Tarrus Riley and others. And it is even reflected on the international scene because the other day Shaggy performed on Rototom Sunsplash in Italy and trus mi, it was big. Ten days of reggae straight, every day all two, three different reggae artistes".

No complaints

Da'Ville's Always On My Mind has spent up to 15 weeks or more at the top of local charts and four or more weeks on international charts and the singer has no complaints.

"Personally my songs have been doing pretty well all over the world, Europe, Jamaica and the Caribbean. There is a place for every music. Is just that at somepoints some become more popular. Suh like me and Tarrus Riley and others, people did waan touch back the sensitive things like love and issues of relationship, suh di dance craze gwaan wid a ting and it's still there but now there is room for other things," Da'Ville said.

"My songs have topped most of the charts in Europe, the BBC charts, MTV Charts, New York Reggae Charts, South Florida Reggae Charts, Japan Charts and all over the Caribbean. I had songs on all those charts and On My Mind spent the longest time in a number one spot, like in St. Martin for maybe about five weeks or more, and the remix also went to the number one spot," Da'Ville said.

Looking for a change

While Tarrus Riley might agree that some persons were looking for a change, he maintains that "the authentic reggae music has always been there; it never really move".

"Even before me, you had like Jah Cure with Longing For an yuh did have nuff song an like I -Wayne did come wid him ting. But sometimes, some songs draw some attention weh yuh cyan really guh 'roun and that is the case with She's Royal. The initiative for that song was to uplift women and people work off a mood and there are different moods of music. Mi guh a Barcelona wah day and the response was great and they don't even speak English, but dem jus love di melody," Riley said.

He says "She's Royal guh number one a whole heap a places all over the world and Stay With You, a next song weh wi did have before, and Beware. Dem tune deh a popular tune. But wi jus deh yah fi represent good music an it feel good to know that people still listening and reggae music is a treasure, suh mi deh yah a gwaan shine it off and try preserve it."

Even for one hardcore dancehall fan, "the fresh sound of like a Tarrus Riley is really a welcome change. A mean wi all love di dancehall vibe an di jump up, but yuh a guh have yuh time when yuh jus waan draw yuh girl close and drop some one bubble to dem tune yah".

Another fan, Toya said, "I like when I can sing along with a song an feel the vibe and who knows, can even get me in the right mood."

However, despite the popularity of songs like She's Royal, there is still no guarantee that such a tune will get more play in the dancehall than the 'regulars'. But at least no matter how short the playing time, it still triggers a massive positive response.