By Jordaine Delahaye—-
Steppin’, that’s his catch phrase; his name is Cali P. If an artist’s background is any indication of the type of music they produce then Cali P’s sound is a hybrid fusion of his multicultural heritage, having been born to a mother from Switzerland and a Rastafarian father from Guadeloupe.
Born Pierre Nanon, Cali P said reggae chose him, as he grew up listening to and immersing himself in the music. The artist moved to Jamaica in 2010 to further his 13-year career as a reggae musician.
“I am thankful every day that I really made this decision to come here. Musically, it makes my possibilities unlimited because I really get to work with the people I like to work with. No one is out of reach. You can always reach your musician brethrens and sistrens,” the artist offered.
Multicultural
Having followed the path reggae charted for him through Switzerland and Guadeloupe, Cali P has gained invaluable experience and insight into the genre and its scope in the countries. So when he says reggaemusic in Jamaica has no competition, it’s hard not to believe him.
“I started writing lyrics and singing in Switzerland when I was 14. There were positives and negatives living there. Looking on it as a whole, I had a lot of moments where I really didn’t want to be there because I felt unwelcome. Not being white there makes people treat you like a foreigner at all times, and that can get really annoying. Also, I could feel racism out there, and still all that really made me stronger and know who I am and what I need to defend and stand for,” Cali P told The Gleanerin an exclusive interview, adding that his experiences there helped to set the foundation for his music as well.
Having grown up with reggae music, Cali P revealed that when he started writing his lyrics they came naturally in English and Patois.
Honing his craft
Cali P picked up a job as emcee for Gideon Soldiers sound system, and pretty soon he was touring all over Europe all the while, honing his craft and championing Jamaican music.
The artist was nudged towards his current career path in a significant way while in Guadeloupe.
According to Cali P, he received a lot of support on the streets in Guadeloupe and was encouraged to continue his music.
Fast-forward to now, and the artist is now in Jamaican studios working on his third reggae album, musiCALI-sPeaKING, with renowned local producer Bobby Digital. “Music for the ears, mind, heart, and soul,” is how Cali P describes it.
According to Cali P, his singles Sweetest Thing and Fire Burning are doing well, and his recent release Send Praises is now seeking similar success.
You must log in to post a comment.