Chris Malachi creates Beryl-inspired track, ‘Disasta’
Shemar-Leslie Louisy / Our Today
When Lovindeer released his track ‘Wild Gilbert‘ in 1988, it quickly became known as the Hurricane Gilbert song.
Today, in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, dancehall artiste Chris Malachi seeks to pen an anthem for new-generation Jamaicans through his latest track ‘Disasta‘.
Like Hurricane Gilbert in the 1980s, Beryl has also united people to help and support one another throughout the ordeal.
The powerful Category 4 cyclone, for many Jamaicans, was their first experience with a hurricane in their adult lives and will go down in history as something synonymous with the ‘second coming’ of Hurricane Gilbert.
Speaking with Our Today, Malachi explained that ‘Disasta‘ interpolates dancehall artiste Valiant’s track ‘GodFada‘ into what he and others went through with Hurricane Beryl.
“It’s a documentation of what people are going through with Hurricane Beryl and I did it because making music about current events is a part of our culture,” said Malachi. “There is some humour intended behind it of course but it’s also the reality that is still affecting a lot of people in Jamaica, and I think that’s why it’s picking up so much momentum.”
Born and raised in Stony Hill, St Andrew, Malachi who officially launched his music career in 2019, grew up in a close-knit Christian household. He developed a love for music from his father Anthony Morris, an auditor, choir director and guitarist and has always felt supported by his mother and extended family to pursue his craft.
Malachi says the inspiration struck when his breadfruit tree, something that has been in his yard his entire life fell from the wind. It clicked to him that the storm was something people needed to take seriously and was going to cause a lot of damage. That realisation drove him to document the experience and the impact through his music.
Initially shared as a verse and chorus on TikTok, after quickly racking up over 100,000 views, the positive reception spurred Malachi to develop it into a full song.
Malachi says a lot of his focus now is supporting in ways he can to relief efforts.
“Even on my part as a Jamaican, I plan on giving something to those affected by Hurricane Beryl. I know for sure that some people were affected worse than I was and their whole lives changed. I want to do what I can to help,” he said.
Fans can look forward to big things from Malachi soon, including more music, a music video for ‘Disasta‘ and a stage performance at A St Mary Mi Come From on August 5.
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