Symflo looks to make his mark

Fast-emerging fusion artiste Symflo said in addition to his smooth flow and lyrical prowess, his distinct melody and sociable topics make him at a cut above the rest.

"Yuh see mi chorus dem, once yuh hear ma song, it'll leave you singing," he confidently stated. "All of my chorus dem stick - it just catchy, with a little melody and I learn dat from my mentor - Mavado. Him always seh 'Nuh badda follow di crowd, just give di melody and di people dem love dat,'" Symflo told THE STAR.

"Yuh can gimmie a one-drop beat now and mi give yuh a nice one-drop song. I'm an entertainer and I love music, I don't specialise. [Any rhythm] you give me, I'll try to put something on it that fits with the beat. Whatever the riddim a speak or mi a feel, dats what mi sing because it comes out better when yuh be natural," he added.

The Nuh Bwoy artiste said following his hit collaboration with Mavado on the 2015 track Clean Suh, he has adopted a great level of inspiration and work ethic from him.

"The relationship is good because 'Vado is like a bigger brother to me and a mentor but since he has migrated to overseas, we haven't really connected that much on the phone, but he'd still show mi a strength and [encourage me]," he said. Symflo said that Clean Suh is still "doing well" especially on the international market.

"That was a big moment for me and one a di highest point in my career at dat time because he's a big artiste and I was very young at the time. It made more people know mi now. In Canada di song is doing good and some parts in America and from that, I did some dubplates, features etc. It's what put me to the place I am now," he noted.

However, in a bid to focus more on his family and farming, Symflo said he stepped away from music in 2016 but is back now to claim his space in dancehall. In connecting with some major promoters, he said he's now more musically mature and surrounded with the right people.

Symflo hails from Cassava Piece in St Andrew, and had an early love for music, starting at age 10 where he performed at community treats and special shows. However, it wasn't until age 15 that he first entered a studio, namely Exodus Studios, which was a hotspot for artistes.

"This studio gave us a lot of exposure as young youth and that's where we kinda develop the love for music more," he said. Symflo said that, from the kindness and genuine care for the youth from Bounty Killer, to the boastful lifestyle of Ninja Man and the high-energy and flair from Beenie Man, he got a first-hand view of persons he idolised and adopted qualities from to create his own unique persona.

"Suh being exposed to all a dat now, mi seh 'yuh know seh a dis mi waah duh', but what put the icing on the cake was when Mavado came out with Weh Dem A Do. Mi a seh 'No man, from David (referring to Mavado's given name) dweet, mi can dweet,'". he said. "Sometimes mi skull school jus fi guh pon di road wid him and him used to cuss and seh 'Unu too young and unu nuh ready fi di road yet, wait till unu grow up likkle bit'. But by time him reach a St Elizabeth and look inna one a di car back dem, a me him see."

"Music is what I love and mi just naah give up. I might get discouraged along the way but wid these experiences, a it really propel me to weh mi deh now," he added.

On his current quest to "meet the fans' demands," he promised to put a "positive" spin on the music scene by "showcasing miself to di fans dem out there, try to give dem di energy weh dem want and songs of relevance, current affairs and relatable topics to change people's life".

While desiring to cement his place in music while becoming a household name, Symflo said he's also aiming for the Grammys and other international awards. But most importantly, he said he wants to re-invest in the music industry in order to keep the legacy going.