Poetry, the first album from singjay Vershon, will be released this summer. No official date or distributor have been announced, but the set’s lead song, Love Them (All My Friends), has been in rotation since April.

It will be Vershon’s second major project for 2018. His EP One More Day was released in March.

Vershon told Jamaica Observer’s weekly Splash that Poetry is likely to contain Inna Real Life (produced by Cashflow Records) and Use To Hungry (Frenz For Real Records), the songs that helped put him in the ‘one to watch’ category three years ago. It is rare for an artiste with his profile not to already have an album under his belt.

Rushing to get an album out, he added, has never been priority.

“Firstly, the greatest albums weren’t recorded quickly, and I wouldn’t say I am taking long to put an album out. I have to plan properly, be creative in using my topics and choosing the right sound,” he explained. “Putting out an album is a process; I am in no haste, but it’s near.”

Typical of dancehall albums, Poetry’s songs were done for different labels such as Chimney Records, Cashflow Records, Seanizzle Music, YGF Records and Birchill Records. The latter is owned by Christopher Birch, the keyboardist who produced several of Vershon’s early songs, including Boom and Sweat.

After the hip Inna Real Life and sincere Use To Hungry hit charts in Jamaica and overseas, St Ann-born Vershon (given name Adrian Brown) was seen in some quarters as dancehall’s next big thing. But other trendy artistes have popped up since, including Masicka and Govana.

While acknowledging the competitive nature of contemporary dancehall, Vershon stressed that matching strides with colleagues has never been part of his plans.

“Vershon makes great music and I am in no competition with no one. I’m still the person I was when I entered the industry; I want to evolve more and be a better version of Vershon,” he said.