1 month ago
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As Jai Kingston himself said, “Winning four of six nominations is no joke”. Last Saturday night at the Sterling Gospel Music Awards, the music minister was awarded Male Artiste of the Year, Collab of the Year, Local Hit of the Year and Local Hit Producer of the Year and, as expected, he is beyond delighted and “giving all the glory to God”.
Jai Kingston started immersing himself in gospel at age 13 and has kept his focus on the higher calling. “I got saved at 12 and I knew from an early age that God had His hand on me,” he told The Gleaner in a moment of reflection, as he recalled having a dream of being on stage “in a full suit of white”.
“I loved singing and when the Lord gave me that vision, I said that I am going to use my gift to glorify the Lord.”
Prior to embarking on his solo mission in 2006, he was a member of Nadine Blair’s Perpetual Sounds of Praise, the group Total Praise, and the Katalys Crew. The solo part of the journey, however, was soaked with challenges. After getting married in 2011, with a wife to care for and less funds than he would have liked, being a full-time music minister became a sticky situation. His plea to God about his circumstances was answered thus, “I never call yuh to be an artiste; I call yuh to be a worshipper.”
With that new level of understanding, shortly after, the doors opened for him to lead praise and worship at a church in St Thomas Virgin Islands, and it was during that period that his hit single Save Me was recorded.
Recently 5 Questions With ... had a sit-down with Wayne Nesta Buchanan, also known as Jai Kingston.
1. How do you feel about winning four Sterling Gospel Music Awards in one night?
When I walked in on Saturday night, I was just happy to be recognised. I was optimistic that I could win even one of the six nominations .... but four! It is mind-blowing… surreal. It’s just beginning to sink in. On Sunday morning while getting ready for church I looked at some of the videos from the previous night and I just started to cry.
2. You mentioned that you dedicated your win to the late Bobby Digital. Why?
I met Bobby Digital during the time when I was not singing but I was writing and helping out a friend with a project. Then I called him one day out of the blue and he said ‘What a gwaan big singer?’ And that did something for me … to know that this Grammy producer looked at me like that. I took some songs to let him hear them and he chose I Surrender. I never had any money for studio time or anything and he called in the musicians and paid them … he paid everything and at the end of the day I had a product. Nuff people wouldn’t do that. Bobby Digital is a loving, caring, human being who touched me with his kindness and after my first big job, I tried to repay him. But some acts of kindness can never be repaid. God put him in my life for a reason.
3. You scooped up two awards for the song ‘No Hanky Panky’. What is the story of that song?
No Hanky Panky was written at a time when there was a lot of bad reports about the Kingdom, for example, the Kevin Smith saga. And I wanted a song that would be an anthem for those who seh ‘A God mi seh.’ I know DJ Radic from when I was in Katalys Krew and I shared the idea with him and he liked it. The next day the man send me the deejay verse on the song. I knew it would be big, but I wanted to release it and the video at the same time. Two years after it was recorded, No Hanky Panky was released … and, the rest is history.
4. What effect is winning four Sterling Awards having on your career?
Well, the attention that I am getting right now is overwhelming. I never had so many people link me in one day. They are all celebrating with me. As to getting more shows... yes, I think I definitely will. What I want to do is align the attention to my ministry. For all the promoters in gospel, secular, Jai Kingston is ready.
5. What is your takeaway and advice to up-and-coming gospel acts in particular?
God rewards the faithful. My journey has been a long one ... nearly 30 years in gospel. When I heard my name call as winner on Saturday night, I sat in my chair for about five to six seconds because this is the first time my name a call fi anything like this. Then I heard it again and again and again. ‘Sterling a wha oonu a do to mi?’ was my question. Endurance and patience. A long time me a seh ‘God and time’.
English (US) ·