Godartiste paying it forward
The dream of doing a deed that would impact the wellbeing of Jamaica’s youth has occupied the mind of 26-year-old Johnoy ‘Godartiste’ Davis since the early years of his childhood.
“My life was rough ... . It lacked a lot of the life essentials. Based on what God is doing for me and where the music is going, it encourages me, and, by way of the music, I want to encourage others,” the gospel recording artiste told THE WEEKEND STAR.
He began performing at the age of 13 to small audiences, but his professional music journey began after launching an EP in October 2015. Since then, he has been nominated in the Gospel Xplosion Music Media Awards in the United Kingdom for International Male Artiste of the Year in 2016 alongside seasoned gospel acts such as Donnie McClurkin and Jermaine Edwards.
He awaits the results of the 2018 Sterling Gospel Music Awards, where he is a nominee in the category of Breakout Sensation of the Year.
Last year, the gospel recording artiste staged Godartiste and Friends, a concert that was in part of a fundraising effort to finance his tertiary education.
He said that although the event did not reach a benchmark profit, it helped. He is currently a part-time student at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
“My aim is to return as a fulltime student in September, and the end product is to become a voice coach who helps artistes like me to find their sound,” Godartiste said.
This year’s staging of Godartiste and Friends on April 28 is being hosted under the theme, ‘Do it For a Cause: Make a Child Smile’ and will be held at the Jamaica Youth for Christ auditorium with Minister Lubert Levy, Radikal Weapon, Soul Touch Ministry (a band), Nex Change, Pastors Dean Smith and Jovan Whyte, among others.
“It is going to be [a] different [way] to kick-start Child Month and make it an exciting one for many children,” he said.
“The funds raised from the event will be used to buy educational gifts for less fortunate children,” he added.