Fan frenzy for Buju Banton on Love and Harmony Cruise
ON DAY Four of the Love and Harmony Cruise, while fans readied themselves to wave their flags with Soca Powerhouse Alison Hinds, Harmonisers were treated to a special surprise form the Gargamel himself, Buju Banton.
Announced with barely 20 minutes notice, guests were informed that with the purchase of any item from the merch store, they would be given the opportunity to meet the Destiny singer.
Though the ship’s occupants were in the midst of breakfast when the announcement rang through the halls of the Norwegian Pearl, it did not stop the line from stretching clear across deck 12.
With fans braving the smouldering sunshine, which made its first appearance since departure in Miami, flags from all across the world were on display in line.
Though Jamaicans made up the majority of the crowd, Natasha Lambert from Guyana says in her home country, their love for Mr Myrie shines just as brightly.
After her moment with the artiste Lambert recounted the experience as “amazing”.
“I’ve always love Buju,” she said, “I saw him in Guyana in 2019 and was very excited about that, was very excited to meet him in person and get my T-shirt signed and get my photo signed. I’m just absolutely excited, ecstatic. I will always go anywhere just to see him.”
She continued, “He said blessings, he said how he loves Guyana bad and that just made me so happy because the entire nation was [so] excited. You know there were 20,000 people in the stadium to come out and see Buju, so it was a very excited time in Guyana.”
Lambert explained that though she missed her chance to meet him in 2019, when she learnt he was headlining a show on the cruise, she gathered a few of her fellow Guyanese Gargamel fans and made sure they were aboard.
“I did not meet him,” she recalled, “he was on the same floor in the hotel in Guyana but I did not get a chance to meet him due to security but it was an excellent show there and I came on this cruise especially to see him. I just love him as an artiste, when he was away I knew I was gonna fly to wherever to see him and this is just a dream come true.”
Similar to Lambert, Yvonne Fernandes from Belize said she booked her stay on the Love and Harmony Cruise just to see Banton.
Still reeling from their short meeting she said, “He was awesome, very personable. He asked what’s your name and just appreciated that you’re a fan, that was great. That’s what brought me on this ship, because I knew he was gonna be here, I [had] to get on board.”
Like many others, Banton’s performance will be the first time Fernandes is seeing the artiste live.
“I am in for a treat, I’m gonna try and find an early spot over there so I can be front and centre,” she said giggling with her freshly signed T-shirt and poster in hand.