Reggae singer/producer Ash-Burn Gracie is upbeat about his latest track called Living Up. The track, which is a collaborative effort with Japanese deejay Head Bad, has been getting favourable responses on social media and the local airwaves since its release in December.

“Because of the positive feedback it has been getting, I am rebranding and re-marketing the song. I am putting all of my time and energy into it. I do believe the listeners are in love with it because of its positive message. Jamaica is blanketed by violence, so songs like this is really music to the ears as the lyrics are very inspirational,” he said.

Ash-Burn told Jamaica Observer he is hoping the song becomes an anthem globally and will give him the musical break he is seeking.

“I have been pursuing music for a long time and I made a lot of sacrifices to get where I am, so I am hoping that all this hard work will pay off,” the Rastafarian singer said.

Living Up was produced by Ash-Burn’s Tzebaoth Records.

Ash-Burn Gracie spent his earlier years in Greenwhich Farm in St Andrew, and being around entertainers like Earl “Chinna” Smith and Prince Allah sparked his interest in the arts.

“By the time I was a teenager I relocated to Waterhouse, and I grew even more interested as I lived an avenue away from King Jammy Studios,” he said.

“I got into barbering after school, but music was never far from my mind, so in 2014 I sold all of my barbering tools and diverted to music,” he said.

Among his releases is his debut track called Red Hot Pon Babylon. He is also the producer behind other singles including Wall Paper and Don’t Play by Arrise, as well as Nutten Nah Gwan Inna Di Streets by Hyah Kontrus.

— Simone Morgan-Lindo