5 Questions with ... Aidonia

As one of dancehall’s most lyrically sharp and stylistically consistent voices, Aidonia has carved out a legacy that’s both distinctive and enduring. With a career spanning 20 years, the deejay, born Sheldon Lawrence, has not only dropped hit after hit but also weathered the genre’s many shifts with an unshakable presence.

Recently, Aidonia kicked off his 20th anniversary celebration with a sold-out concert at the UBS Arena in New York. The spotlight shifted to Kingston, where he headlined the second leg of this milestone event last Saturday. Adding an extra touch of prestige to the celebration, luxury cognac brand Courvoisier signed on as the lead sponsor, underscoring the event’s high-profile status.

Aidonia, who took his stage name from the first two letters in his middle name ‘Aitana’, and ‘Donia’, a name which he earned while playing football, attended Mona Heights Primary and then Meadowbrook High. After watching a tape of Sting 1993 with the clash between Beenie Man, and his icon Bounty Killer, Aidonia decided to become a deejay.

His Wikipedia bio states that he began re-enacting the clash for classmates and friends, writing his own lyrics and formed the JAG1 (Jah A Guide)(JOP) crew with friends.

He subsequently relocated to the United States with his father and worked at FedEx. However, he was encouraged to return to Jamaica in order to get his career going. He met Mr. G (then known as Goofy) and recorded his first single Many a Dem, in October 2003 on Goofy’s Young Blood label.

Soon after, he began working with Rod Pinnock of Orizen Entertainment. In 2004, Aidonia was approached by Cordell ‘Skatta’ Burrell who invited him to record at his studio. Two months later, Aidonia had his first hit, Lolly, a song on Skatta’s Irish Dance riddim. In 2005, Lolly was included on VP Records’ annual Strictly The Best (Volume 33) compilation and several hits followed..

On his birthday on April 6, 2020 Aidonia released his Dats a Trap mixtape featuring 17 tracks and in December 2023, he dropped a 23-track collection titled Occupied Mind.

We caught up with Aidonia to discuss his musical evolution, personal growth, and what’s next.

1. You’ve been a force in dancehall for 20 years. How does it feel knowing that you have created a legacy that is unshakeable?

It feels great. It shows that the work that we’ve been putting in for 20 years has been and is still being recognised. For any artiste, once people recognise the work and appreciate it, it is a great feeling. So fi know seh a 20 years of work, it’s a great vibe.

2. Looking back at your first breakthrough moment, what do you think set you apart in those early years and helped you gain traction in a competitive industry?

The competition. You haffi work hard and you haffi work smart because everybody wants to be the man, everybody wah find the song, and the song is the moment, suh just dat alone! And mi very competitive, mi nuh like lose. Anything mi cyaan win, mi nah do, and that’s kinda why over the years mi still deh yah, cause no matter wah gwaan inna music, mi feel mi can top it and mi always try fi top it. So, the competition brings out the best inna me and I love it.

3. You recently held your first celebratory concert in New York – what was that experience like, and how did it feel performing for longtime fans abroad?

That was a great feeling, you know. That kinda bring some tears to mi eye, mi haffi kinda hol’ it and fight it back. Just the love of di people and just the whole energy, like the celebration was crazy. On the night of the event, you could just feel the energy in the building, and the people’s vibe was great! Mi love dem and appreciate dem fi dat, yuh zimi.

4. What did it mean to celebrate this 20-year milestone at home in Jamaica, especially with strong corporate support from brands like Courvoisier behind you?

It meant everything because we are Jamaicans and Jamaica a d place weh mek Aidonia big. Courvoisier is a world known brand, so to have a world known brand being a sponsor for the 20th and a celebrate wid wi – a brand weh we actually drink too – is just a great vibe, and a great look. It just has that party touch, and just dah right vibe deh.

5. Over the years, the sound and style of dancehall have evolved. How have you adapted while staying true to your unique identity as an artiste?

Just the love for the music, you know. It just keeps pushing me in the direction I need to go at the time. Music a timing, and mi always try fi be different and do something different from wah out there presently. Being different, doing different and just being me always work suh we just stick with that.

BRAWTA:

What do you want your legacy in dancehall to be when people look back 20 years from now?

One of the best of this time! Inna my time from the ‘05 come up, I just want to be known as one of the best of my time.