SINGER Richie Stephens says his chart-topping single Valley is a reflection of his personal experiences.

Valley, produced by Richard Davidson for BoomRich Productions, is spending its fourth week in the number one spot on the New York Foundation Radio Network Top 30 Music Chart.

“Valley was inspired by the times that we’re living in. I see a great change in our everyday lives. A lot of people have been going through a lot and people don’t know how to cope. Some people don’t know how to live from day to day and somewhat find themselves in the valley, and this is where the inspiration comes from,” Stephens told the Jamaica Observer.

Asked how relatable the song was to him, Stephens said: “I’ve been through a lot in my life. When I say valley it means you’re not on the hilltop, [you’re] where the sun is not shining. It is a reflection of me. You remember when they killed my son at my gate? It is something that I sing about. All of these memories will always be with me so it’s fair to say that I’ve been in the valley.”

Stephens’ adopted son, Demar “Copper Cat” Graham, was shot and killed by unknown assailants who stole his cellphone on January 20, 2011.

He shared what it was like working on the song.

“The recording session was a long session. It was a good energy and vibe in the studio because everybody knew we were onto something in creating a great song. It was a blessing that day to put all these musicians together, along with the producer, and just really give it our best shot,” said Stephens.

“This song was produced by a very good friend of mine named Richard Davidson. He always wanted to produce a song with me and I was just singing this song to him one day and he said he liked to produce the song,” he continued.

Valley was released on January 1 via DubShot Records. Its official video, which was uploaded to YouTube on the same day of its release, has to date garnered more than 750,000 views on that video-sharing website.

“The feedback is great. This is a soundtrack of the lives of many people. It became an instant connection with the people,” Stephens said.

Asked whether the song was the precursor to a full body of work, the veteran singer said: “This is just another of the tracks added to my catalogue of songs. It is possible it might be a part of an album. This song is a very powerful song and may just turn into an album. We have been working on many songs; we’ve never stopped working on songs.”

Born Richard Stephenson, Richie Stephens is originally from Westmoreland. Having signed with Motown Records in the early 1990s he is known for a string of hit songs including Body Slam (featuring Patra), Legacy (with Mad Cobra), By Your Side, Whap Dem, Take Me Away, Strength of Your Love, Weakness for Sweetness and Every Time You’re There, among others.

In 1992 he sang lead vocals on the song Joy by British R&B band Soul II Soul. The track, which was released as the first single from the group’s third album Volume III Just Right, was a global hit, making it to number four in the United Kingdom, number 14 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, and to number 4 in Zimbabwe. It also made the charts in Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and in Greece.