KINGSTON, Jamaica- After being introduced to music during his younger years at church, up-and-coming artiste Monie, given name Jemone Samuels, says he wants to make it in the music industry so his grandmothers and daughter can be proud of him.

The 24-year-old shared that he was raised by his grandmother and would go with her to church each weekend where he sang in the choir. He added, however, that it was not until he was attending New Day Primary and Junior High School that he started to see the art as a possible career choice.

“My friend dem used to dj from me little and me used to watch them and then go school go sing them songs until me start build my own songs. The feedback that me used to get from school, them used to say the way how me love music it seems like a that me have to go do because me do it good,” Monie said.

With a melodic voice, the artiste began to create a following with dancehall and reggae music, with the positive feedback from people on the streets propelling him forward.

“My career a go good so far because the feedback on the streets and everywhere I go, people love me voice and how me a do the thing. A nuff people know how far me a come from and them know how long me a do it. Just more ears me want to the thing; more people to see the talent because talent  deh right here,” the young artiste said.

Monie told OBSERVER ONLINE that building a career in music has not been an easy one as he has encountered many difficulties along the way.

“Is a lot of difficulties me encounter man. Lots of people me go round a them bench me, and lots of people with money who could a finance the music and spread it, but when me take a stock them did just want use me,” he said.

“Then other time me work with other people and it break off because them want program me a way and I am not that type of person. And then, because  we don’t have money to do certain likkle things or how me would a want fi move my career and want shoot certain videos and all them things deh; is a lot struggles,” the up-and-coming artiste disclosed.

He added that the struggles he has faced have caused him to consider abandoning his music career, but he always comes back singing a song and knowing that he wants to create a life his grandmothers, who he shared has pushed and supported him all his life, can smile with pride about. 

“Me never grow with no mother or no father and because music is the only thing me can do still and me do it well; me happy when me a do it, me love do it so me really want fi see me two grandmother proud a me because them go hard fi me and it never easy,” Monie explained.

“A lot of the time me find myself want stop do music, tell myself that me done with music and me cant bother, but the me always find back myself a sing all a little song again and me have to get back into it. Me want my two grandmothers and my daughter see me make it and so me can see them smile. That’s why me a work so hard, just fi get that smile from them,” he added.

Having been influenced by Mavado, Beres Hammond, Vybz Kartel  – who he described as a pillar in music –  along with Bounty Killer and Beenieman, Monie hopes to emulate those he looks up to and make it big in the music industry.

“Me see myself a go big still and a do my thing to represent the culture in a real way. Me see myself a perform in front of some large crowds all over the world, not just Jamaica. So me just a have faith and gwaan do the music,” Monie said.

The artiste shared that his music can be found on YouTube and on all digital platforms @monie_wellwild.