LOCAL music producer Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor has just released a single with American Cas Haley — second-place winner on the US, televised performing arts competition America’s Got Talent.

The single, titled Neva Gonna Let You Go, has been released on iTunes.

McGregor says the single will introduce a dynamic, ultramodern energy to the reggae world, due to Haley’s clever vocal style, and his experimental, pop-oriented production techniques. “This is the authentic reggae drum-and-bass style, but it has a twist to it,” he notes. “The twist is using a pop production sound, so it can merge into a more commercial market. I wanted to have a reggae record that could play alongside a Rihanna track, or a Beyoncé track, and top DJs could play it, and it still would fit within the mix, because with pop music, it’s the sound that reaches people.”

Born in Paris, Texas, Cas Haley achieved a commercial breakthrough in 2008, when his rendition of The Police’s hit, Walking On The Moon, earned him the runner-up position on America’s Got Talent. His version of Walking On The Moon propelled his self-titled debut album to the number two position on Billboard’s reggae album chart. His second album, Connection, also reached the number two on the Billboard reggae albums chart in 2012.

McGregor says the feedback to the single has been positive. “I was just playing Cas’ song for different people, and they were saying, ‘This is the sound people are dying to hear in reggae.’ The way he sings over my beats, and the uplifting vibe that he gets — this is exactly what reggae is missing right now.”