Artykal in celebration mode
Singjay artykal has reason to celebrate. His latest album, Celebration, generated 5,000 streams within one week of its release date on December 25, 2020.
“The reaction has been pretty good, the album peaked at number 33 on the reggae itunes and that represents significant growth for my career,” the artiste, whose real name is Dwayne Gardner, said.
The seven-track album features tracks produced by Nolanding Music, Dweet Now Entertainment and Ovation Lab. DJ Franko and Posh mixed the album.
This is his sophomore album, having released his debut album Beginning on digital platforms in 2019.
“I put all my life experiences, philosophies and beliefs in this album. It exudes a positive energy which I always try to send out in the universe,” he said.
He grew up in the community of Fairfield in the Lincoln district of Manchester, only a few miles from the Greenvale birthplace of the late Garnet Silk. He attended Christiana High School but migrated at age 14 where he finished his secondary education at Weaver High in Hartford, Connecticut.
He linked up with Portmore-based producer Kashwain “Dweet Now” Buchanan and he recorded his first official track, Party Time, in 2009, and maintained an excellent working relationship with him through the years.
Years later, he also forged great working chemistry with producer Damian “Creeper” Drummond of Nolanding Music in Hartford Connecticut. Both producers contributed significantly towards the
Celebration EP.
“I am feeling great that the album is creating a buzz because I wanted to give dancehall fans something everyone can listen to...it has positive energy, a clean energy. This is where the music is supposed to be like, not a scenario where people put anything inna songs because that can cause negative things to manifest inna real life,” he reasoned.
Some of the singles from the album include the lead track Celebrate, Brother Song and Black Green and Gold, the latter of which was released just three weeks ago.