4 months ago
25
Digicel Rising Star 2023 Remone Watson is recommitting his life to Christ. In an interview with The Gleaner, the 21-year-old opened up about how “church hurt” and the demands of the entertainment industry led him away from his faith, despite growing up in the church and being deeply involved in gospel music from an early age.
Reflecting on his early years, Watson shared that one of his first gospel performances was when he was just five years old. “Because of my height, they had to put me on a little box to sing,” he shared, adding, “I went to church every Sunday. Growing up in a Christian home, I never had the option to not go. Later, I started performing alongside Donnie McClurkin, Tasha Cobbs, Marion Hall, Alvin Slaughter, Kevin Downswell, and Kierra Sheard. I was really in the gospel industry until certain things happened that scared me, and I pulled away a little.”
Baptised at the age of eight, Watson spoke about the criticism he has faced from some members of the church, particularly regarding his self-expression through fashion. “I’ve received a lot of backlash for how I express myself and other things. At the end of the day, I still expected more from a church community. When I was metaphorically crying out, there was no one there to lend a helping hand.”
Despite these challenges, he said he knew he had to return to his faith. “Coming from a biblical background, I knew I had to take the first step in recommitting my life to Christ and allowing everything else to follow. Scripture reminded me that I cannot do anything without Christ at the centre of it all – life itself has proven that. I know that what God has planned for me is bigger than what I can imagine.”
He revealed that he is taking a different approach to his spiritual journey for now. “I haven’t gone back to church yet,” Watson, who is currently overseas, told The Gleaner.
“I want to get closer to God and know Him for myself first. Through a series of dreams and the messages they contained, I realised that time was running out, and this was my last chance to truly get right with God. So, for now, I am focusing on internal change so that the world can see the transformation. I think I’ve made some progress, but doing music wholeheartedly at this point in my life isn’t my main priority,” he shared.
Currently, Watson is focused on rebuilding his relationship with God and discerning his next steps. “There’s a season for everything, and I believe this is my season of purpose, change, and silence. This silence doesn’t mean the end of music; rather, it means that I cannot share a blessing out of its season, or it won’t have the impact it should. Right now, it’s about intimacy with God and nothing else.”
While still accepting secular bookings, he says he is now more selective. “I’m accepting booking for both secular and religious performances. Whilst I’m making this transition, I’m still interested in doing music,” he said. “Not all shows will be taken because not all shows will align with what I stand for.”
Watson won the ‘Digicel Rising Stars’ competition in 2023, and following his win shared his intention to take his talent all the way to ‘The Voice’. In 2024, he took on a new challenge when he entered the Mr World Jamaica competition, where he placed in the Top 5.
English (US) ·