Lovers rock reggae has always appealed to singer Sadiki. He remembers listening to rocksteady singers in his youth, and his admiration for that sound has never waned.
For his latest single, he recalled one of reggae’s most enduring beats to cover Perfect, a huge hit for Ed Sheeran in 2017.
“In the late ‘80’s, early ‘90’s when I first picked up a mic, the Conversation rhythm and rhythms in the lovers rock vein dominated the dancehall. My daughter, who was born around that time, and her fiance grace the cover of the single, so it kinda feels like a complete circle,” said Sadiki.
Perfect is scheduled for release on December 6 by Sadiki’s Skinny Bwoy Records. It features guitarist Mitchum “Khan” Chin, with whom he worked on previous productions.
As for releasing the song in the Yuletide season, Sadiki believes the timing is…perfect.
“I chose to release it around this time of year because this is the time people unite and reunite. Love is high on the agenda and this is a love song,” he said.
The Conversation, named after the 1968 song of the name by The Uniques, is one of reggae’s great rhythms. It has anchored numerous songs including Lone Ranger’s humorous Barnabas Collins.
In the last five years, Sadiki has churned out albums and songs by himself and other artists for Skinny Bwoy Records, which he started in 2007. He has produced songs with Twiggi, an acoustic album by Ronnie Davis (of The Itals fame), ska great Eric “Monty” Morris and British smooth jazz singer Helen Davis.
Born in Kingston, Sadiki has lived most of his life in North America. Early in his career, he toured with Beres Hammond.
Living abroad, he notes, is no longer an obstacle from making an impact in Jamaica.
“With the advent of targeted advertising through platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, anyone can leverage powerful algorithms to gain visibility. Just as important are the relationships I’ve developed over the years, with DJs and radio stations who support my music 100 per cent,” he said.
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