Whosrila hopes to take his music worldwide

Emerging reggae crossover artiste Whosrila is aiming to carve out a distinct identity through music rooted in self-discovery, spirituality, resilience and creative freedom. With his 11th single, Made You, now released, the artiste is looking to build on growing interest in his music while taking his sound to audiences beyond Jamaica. For Whosrila, the journey is as much about discovering himself as it is about building a career.

“The man behind the music is a person of spiritual respect,” he told The Gleaner. “I focus on self-reflection, and I dwell on finding myself every day, hence the name Whosrila.”

That philosophy informs both Whosrila’s personal life and artistry. He describes himself as continually learning about himself while balancing the pursuit of perfection with self-acceptance. His work reflects an interest in challenging societal expectations and encouraging people to embrace their authentic selves.

Reggae and hip-hop provide the foundation for his genre-fluid sound, but he also draws inspiration from music around the world and from nature, blending diverse influences with Jamaican sounds.

His background in videography and cinematography has shaped his visual presentation. He believes an artiste’s visuals should communicate quality while remaining true to their identity.

“You never know what your first impression on someone will be,” he said, explaining that he aims to present himself at the highest level without compromising his natural personality or expression.

For him, however, presentation must always be supported by substance. His lyrics, thoughts and personal experiences must be strong enough to match the quality of the visuals surrounding them.

That approach is seen in Made You, which Whosrila describes as one of his strongest releases so far. The song is also significant as his 11th single, with the number holding personal meaning for him.

The track explores love, intimacy, appreciation and spirituality, drawing from an experience that was new to him.

“I’ve never had this kind of intimate love experience, and I’ve never expressed one in this way before,” he added.

Through the song, he hopes listeners will be inspired to love more genuinely and spiritually. He also wants women, in particular, to feel beautiful, valued and appreciated when they hear it.

The track has received an encouraging response, particularly from women, giving Whosrila further confidence in his musical direction. As for his sound, he said it has been shaped by a diverse range of influences, citing the Marley family, Enigma, The Heptones, Sugar Minott, Ken Boothe, Buju Banton, Capleton, Chronixx and Protoje, among others.

Outside reggae, he draws inspiration from artistes such as Ghostface Killah, The Police and Joe Bataan, while Kanye West and Lauryn Hill have influenced his approach to poetry and writing.

Rather than attempting to replicate these influences, Whosrila said he has absorbed them and allowed them to contribute to his own identity.

“I assimilated all of it into who I’ve become over the years,” he explained.

With international crossover firmly on his agenda, he wants global audiences to experience the diversity of Jamaican music through his work. He also hopes to deliver music that communicates resilience, joy and spirituality while encouraging listeners to better understand themselves and their connection to others.

“I want people to experience diversity, inspired by the rawest forms of reggae and hip-hop,” he said.

Beyond creating music, Whosrila has been working on strengthening the business infrastructure behind his brand. He is developing a collaborative project with Kxng Izem and continues to work with UK-based producer CIN, who has produced much of his upcoming material.

The Jamaica-UK collaboration is especially meaningful to him given the two countries’ longstanding cultural and musical relationship.

Whosrila is also becoming increasingly comfortable with standing apart from the crowd. He describes himself as someone who has often felt like an outsider and said he had learned to embrace that position rather than fight it.

“I’ve been learning to separate myself from the crowd, because I’ve never really been a part of it. I’ve learned to become okay with being the odd one out,” he said.

When he is away from the spotlight, he remains immersed in creativity. He spends time behind the camera, listens to music, studies fashion and observes how other artistes build their brands. He is particularly interested in the artistic process and the ways creatives evolve.

As he looks ahead, Whosrila is focused less on meeting expectations and more on continuing to create.

“I want fans to expect nothing and to have no expectations of me, because I’m only human,” he shared.

For him, success means continued growth, learning from mistakes and remaining open to different forms of expression. That could mean music, film, fashion or poetry.

“If people are going to expect anything, it’s more creation,” he said.

o’brian.wynter@gleanerjm.com