Reggae singer Survivalist, as his name says, is a survivor. In fact, he is so happy to be alive that he has made up a song called Glad To Be Alive, this after a near-death experience during a run-in with a gunman overseas.

As he explained it, he was on tour in Cleveland, Ohio, when he was held up at gunpoint. “The gun is not just in Jamaica, it is a global thing. But, wherever in the world it happens, when a man puts a gun in your face, in a split second you realise how precious life can be,” he said.

His gratitude for his life being spared is embodied in the Mastermind Music single, Glad To Be Alive, which, according to Survivalist, is so convincing that a man said to him “only a dead man couldn’t love da song yah. Once you alive, you mus’ love it”.

There are plans to shoot a video for the single, which Survivalist sees as the song to really get his name in the public domain.

Survivalist, born Collin Williams, says he has always had a passion for reggae music. He grew up in Central Village and attended Drews Avenue Primary and Prembroke Hall Secondary, prior to migrating to the United States. He started singing on his hometown sound, Runner Tone and from there linked up with Luciano, Ronnie Twaites, Gregory Peck, Katta Warrior and Milton Blake.

However, it was at Jack Scorpio’s Drewsland-based studio, one of the island’s ‘reggae universities’ that Survivalist got to really live out his love affair with the music.

“It helped to set a firm foundation and so when I migrated to the US, I was so grounded in the music that nothing could change my path,” he said.

It was two years ago that the singer re-connected with Luciano and became a part of the Messenjah’s camp.

“I went on tour with Luciano, Mikey General and the other artistes and it was a great experience,” he recalled.

However, he is “now focused on launching me”, but insisted that he is still a member of the Messenjah family.

Survivalist, whose last album was entitled Art of Survival, is currently in Jamaica working on his third album.