SINGING Melody is hoping to add some flavour to radio with the launch of his Internet station today called Shem Music FM.

He is confident it will make a difference.

“I can’t wait to get the people’s radio station, Shem Music FM Internet radio, officially launched, because I believe it will make a difference in our world,” Singing Melody told the Jamaica Observer.

The singer will be hosting a two-hour programme, Hold a Reasoning, on Wednesdays, which is patterned, in part, on his live Instagram show. The show will begin at 12 noon and end at 2:00 pm on Shem Music FM, through the website www.singingmelodymusic.com/radio.

“My reasoning is based on my experiences in the music industry and as a fan of music for over 38 years. This helps to swing the conversation in so many directions and explore topics that are endless,” he said.

Singing Melody plans to create special play lists with “clean” dancehall and reggae songs to be broadcast throughout the week and is inviting artistes to submit their songs.

“All clean songs are welcome. This radio station will guarantee airplay for young artistes who are struggling to break through in the marketplace,” he said.

In addition to the Wednesday show, Singing Melody will host a Sunday programme in whicg he will use his platform to address healthy lifestyle topics with Doctor Kimo as well as look at hot-button issues. The show will be family-oriented with an emphasis on inculcating morals and values.

According to the singer, the idea for the station was planted seven years ago by Rico Vibes, a disc jockey and owner of Da Flava Radio, based in Atlanta.

“Rico Vibes offered me a slot on the radio but I couldn’t accept it at the time because I didn’t have a dedicated space for it. As luck would have it, he approached me again at a time when my recording studio was finished, so I just ran with the idea,” he said.

Over the last few weeks, he has been setting up the radio station, and setting up reciprocal broadcast streaming arrangements with other stations like DaFlavaRadio.com in Atlanta, Gambia Vibesfm 106.1, One Harmony Radio in London, Primal Radio in New York, C K U T 90.3 in Canada, Reggae Global Radio in Florida, and other major US cities.

“The show is going to have a truly international feel. Every week we will draw information from the jurisdictions from which we broadcast to better serve our listeners and encourage greater interaction,” he said.

Singing Melody noted that some of his friends in entertainment may co-host and be guests during some of his broadcasts.

“I am trying to ensure that the standard of our great reggae music, in all forms, is highlighted in the most honourable way through music and conversations. It’s not just about me, it’s about the people too,” he said.

The Shem Music FM team includes Singing Melody’s wife, Ruby Robinson; Whitter The Legend from Legendary Promotions Inc, and Faymous from Too Faymous Muzik, the artiste’s engineer and producer.

Singing Melody, whose real name is Everton Hardweare, entered the music scene in the mid-1980s and scored some minor hits, including a cover of Surface’s Shower Me with Your Love. He made it big locally with the success of Want You Back in 1999, which helped to take the album Sweeter (Fat Eyes/VP Records) up the charts. The video for the song reached number two on the MTV2 playlist. The song was named Song of the Year at the Reggaesoca Music Awards in the early 2000s. Other hits which followed included Let it Flow and Say What.

As a member of LUST (with singers Lukie D, Thriller U, and Tony Curtis) Singing Melody has had chart successes with Just as I Am and Sweetness of Your Love.

The artiste is also a serial entrepreneur who has started several companies with his wife. Among these are Villa Mimosa Jamaica, which has grown into a luxury five-star villa, and more recently the launch of the H R H Mimosa yacht, a 55ft luxury charter based in Montego Bay Jamaica.

“We’re just trying to make a difference,” Singing Melody noted.