After losing his mother on New Year’s Day in 2010 and migrating to the United States, music has remained a constant friend for dancehall artiste Kaation.

The Eight Mile, Bull Bay native told OBSERVER ONLINE that while he always dabbled in the art, it was not until after migrating in the ninth grade and completing high school that he decided to pursue music as a career.

Now the 24-year-old, given name Tariq Antoye, is focused on making a name for himself in the dancehall fraternity by 2024.

Here are six questions with up-and-coming artiste Kaation:

1. When did you start doing music?

I used to mess around from I was young but I used to take it as a joke and freestyle with my friends. I didn’t take it serious until I came to America because I didn’t have much friends here so all I could do was play beats and send my friends voicenotes on WhatsApp and them start say ‘no dawg you haffi take it serious’. From there I joined some competitions on Facebook and the feedback was crazy and that make me realise that me really can do this. It wasn’t until 2016/2017 that I decide that I wanted to take up music as a career. I released my first song in 2019, called Long Term Freestyle. It is a remix to Jada Kingdom song. She was having a challenge that I joined and the ladies loved it and told me to record it so I did.

2. How would you describe your style?

I would describe it as hardcore dancehall. I am not really the choppa kinda artiste but it’s definitely dancehall like Masicka, Alkaline, Vybz Kartel; still hard core but not the current wave that is happening. I have nothing against it but it’s just not me; I feel like I have more to say than to just repeat choppa choppa just because everybody saying that so I don’t really want go down that lane where me feel like I have to follow to get a bus. I just want keep it real and keep it authentic and I will figure it out and find my way.

3. What impact do you want to have in the music industry?

Well, the music I enjoy doing is the type that people listen and it move them. Whether I am singing about life’s struggles or elevation, I just want my music to encourage people to go harder and believe in themselves and know say them can do it and also to make people have fun because I make music for the girls as well. When I just came on the scene I dropped three girl songs back-to-back and people start ask if is the next Dexta Daps this. But them feel like a that alone I could do so me go in the lab and me start do some more conscious music, and people message me saying the songs make them cry. So I just want bring an impact that touch people and bring them happiness all in one.

4. Has it been difficult breaking into the Jamaican market?

In a way, yes. Me feel like being over here (New Jersey) hold down the thing a little bit, because when me go Jamaica in 2020 and do a music video and it did seem like the people relate more unlike when I am in America and they see brick wall and all of that. Also being in Jamaica help a lot too because I can go to parties and promote, and interact more with people. So it kinda make things harder over here, but social media help so I try to use it a lot and the people interact with me.

5. What does a future in music look like for you?

Future look bright. Me see myself a become one of the main faces in the game, where if you talk about dancehall you have to call my name. Me want be in people top ten if them a talk bout dancehall, them talk bout Kaation.

6. What’s next for Kaation?

Just a whole heap of music for the summer and a lot of videos. I also have a song about my mother coming out soon name ‘Save Me Tonight’. But me just a try remain consistent because me a give myself until August to really be on a nice level. I feel like next year is the year that the people will know who is Kaation.