Growing up in a family with a strong musical background, it was only a matter of time before Protégé, born Oje Ken Ollivierre, would fully immerse himself in music.
As a studio engineer, he was always surrounded by music, but late last year into early 2009, the aspiring artiste dived head-first into an industry he believes he was born to be a part of.
Modern edge
His music, however, is not the typical dancehall that would perhaps be expected from a 27-year-old. Instead, his sound is a reflection of those who inspired him and the music he grew up hearing, with a modern edge. He describes it as "reggae and dub with a touch of hip-hop."
Black Uhuru and Hugh Mundell are two of his main influences.
"I was a huge Spragga fan growing up and now, I look to Damian Marley a lot. Late '70s and early '80s reggae is the music that I love," he said.
Since his official break into the industry this year, his singles Arguments and Dread, particularly the former, have been enjoying rotation on local radio. He said, "It's been getting sporadic airplay since this year."
He knows quite well that his sound may not appeal to everyone, especially to those who are fans of hard-core dancehall, but this does not faze him.
"I just do music that I believe in and that I like. I'd rather have a hundred people liking the music that I want to do, than a thousand people loving something that is not what I'm about. I want to be able to sit and listen to a song with my mom and it nuh awkward. Plus, people want balance too," he said.
Capitalise on the momentum
His immediate plans include a video for his single, Arguments and he admits that he had no plans for a video this soon, but realises that he "needs to capitalise on the momentum." The video is directed by his sister, a director by profession. He also has two more singles, one featuring John Holt, which will be released later this year.
His mother, reggae icon, Lorna Bennett, known for the 1972 hit, Breakfast in Bed, has been a source of inspiration for him and he told THE STAR, "I used to see my mom on stage. Her era of music is the music that I love, so that influenced me a great deal." His father, Michael Ollivierre, is a former Calypso King from St Vincent and the Grenadines.
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