When Alton Willis emigrated to Canada in 1991, he already had aspirations of becoming an artiste, having performed on sound systems in east Kingston where he grew up.

He has enjoyed a stable life in his adopted country and for that, he thanks his mother Olga Mouiha whom he salutes on his latest song Mama.

“My mom always showed me the right way in life and how to be respectful to others. As a strong woman she brought me and my siblings, niece and nephews to Canada,” he said. “She always made me believe in myself as an artiste and always told me to follow my dreams and inspired me to do my thing.”

Co-produced by Saturn Entertainment, Lion Man Promotion and GK Production, Mama was released in late July.

Willis said the concept for Mama came to him through a flashback, and things fell into place quickly afterward.

The Ottawa-based Willis has never been far from music. At age 13, he was working on the Atomic Bomb ‘sound’ in east Kingston.

He has established himself in that city’s reggae scene, recording a number of songs and one album, Elegant Woman.

Moving to Canada, he said, has improved his life as an artiste and person.

“It changed my life, showing me music is not a fame thing. It’s a gift from the feel that I get from real fans that make me want to sing. Canada has many opportunities to help artistes like me, if you know the steps that you are reqired to take,” he explained.

— Howard Campbell