Dancehall music, having emerged on the scene in the late 1970s, has grown to be one of the most influential and groundbreaking successes to have come out of Jamaican culture. New artistes emerging constantly, along with the widespread appreciation for the music, keeps the fire and drive of dancehall alive. 

Here are some of the many promising artistes to look out for in keeping that fire going in 2023.

Valiant

Raheem Bowes, most commonly known as ‘Valiant’, has made a remarkable surge in dancehall in less than two months. Despite his significant rise, Valiant is not a ‘new artiste’. In fact, he had been recording music for 10 years and was even a part of Popcaan’s Unruly camp.

Having gained a substantial amount of popularity from his Kotch ee hat video, Valiant gained even more recognition and has surely made a point to capitalise on that, coming out with hit after hit since. He has released 10 songs in the past four months with all of them hitting a minimum of one million views on YouTube. His love for his craft and supporters, along with his ability to create music people can’t help but to gravitate towards, shows a promising career ahead of him. 

Ninecea

 The 18-year-old schoolboy from Jamaica College, Ninecea (real name is Tahge Johnson) has created quite the buzz with his instant hit Nahmal, followed by an even bigger hit, Brawlin and then four months later, his biggest hit yet, Party Time. His songs have gained a significant amount of traction after trending on Tiktok.

Armanii

His hit single Balenciaga Pon Mi Foot opened the door for Armanii after having charted in the top 20 on both iTunes and Spotify reggae and also garnering over one million streams across multiple digital platforms. 

During an appearance on popular podcast The Fix, he expressed his admiration for the greats of dancehall and how it has led him to believe in his ability to not only be as good but even better. He had also made mention of music always being around him and despite him not looking to pursue it originally.

“Before even taking it seriously I always had a passion for it,” he said.

His music has entered various channels worldwide due to his fans’ avid support on Tiktok and other social media platforms. With the release of his new EP, Metamorphosis, Armanii continues to establish himself within the industry.

YK Kastro

The past student from St James High and Ferncourt High had been pursuing music for the past three years when his song Zoom brought him into the spotlight. The artiste had released other songs like, Trick, Death or Fame and Furnace. Speaking with The Jamaica Observer, he expressed how his career with music was his destiny and how his recognition as an artiste had begun.

“Furnace is the song that got me recognition as an artiste. I have been working with Cash Code Records and it has been a very progressive and positive synergy thus far,” he told the Jamaica Gleaner.

With hopes of winning a Grammy and gaining international recognition, there is no intention to slow down.

Kraff

“[It’s all about] breaking out the box, both literally and figuratively. Leaving weh yuh come from and leaving those thoughts behind. Weh you see the next man do that work, take it in and make it inspire wah you do but make it different and stay real to yuhself,” he told Jamaican tabloid, The Star.

Concerned with creating music with a deeper meaning and unique to his moods, thoughts and past, Kraff (Tevin Randall), compares his music to art. His music has a different interpretation to each listener, similar to pieces of art where what you see might not be exactly what the painter was thinking.

Kraff has no intention of falling off anytime soon and is seeking real connections with his fanbase.

Kraff is currently charted #18 on the Jamaica Top Artiste Chart and has charted a total of seven times in 2022. 

Malie Donn

Kimalie Hylton, more affectionately known as Malie Donn or Malie, has begun to make noticeable waves in the dancehall industry. Breaking out in 2022 with hits such as Bang Bang, Throat Goat and Hennergy, Malie has started to become a common name mentioned by listeners. Hailing from Waterford in Portmore, St Catherine, the entertainer has shared hopes of using his platform as a tool to highlight issues he’s experienced and motivate the youths. For example, his featuring on Paper Chaser with popular dancehall artiste Jahshii, making Malie one to watch for the year 2023.

Pablo YG

Pablo YG, a young upcoming entertainer from rural St Ann, is not one to be overlooked.

The 18-year-old has made a noticeable impact with singles such as Bang and Booming alongside collaborations with other rising stars including Valiant with Motor Sport in 2022. After losing his father to gun violence, the entertainer looked to music as a path, instead of going overseas and had hopes to become a name in the industry. Currently creating hardcore dancehall music, the entertainer hopes to explore his sound for the new year with trap music due to its “melodious vibe” he described. So we can expect that and possibly more for Pablo YG in 2023, one to watch.

Bayka

Originally from Spanish Town in St Catherine, Ronaldo Billings, professionally known as Bayka, entered the music industry in 2021 and has racked up a number of hits within the dancehall genre; ranging from Mobstar, Sinna Life and 1Uptown. With his unique voice and creative song compositions, the artiste became a household name. Having gained a significant amount of recognition with social media platforms such as Tiktok, his fanbase has only grown since his stepping out on the scene.

With the goal of being an international recording star with multinational reach, the 20-year-old expressed in an interview with On Stage TV that he was aware of his goals alongside the work and faith it takes to get there. Bayka has no intention of slowing down anytime soon and has impressively provided the public with proof of his talent and success; the test of longevity does not seem to intimidate the young go-getter.

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