KINGSTON, Jamaica – Up-and-coming artiste Devyus says music came naturally to him. What didn’t come as easy was standing in front of a crowd and performing. However, determined to conquer his fears, the young entertainer said he took the opportunity to perform on every stage that would allow him, and today, having fully outgrown his ‘shy’ era, he is hoping to make it big in the industry.

“My family and a few friends knew of my talent but it wasn’t fully exposed to everyone. When everybody really knew was when I left high school and started taking it seriously. When I was in school, I wasn’t really outspoken. I was extremely shy and I never really had the confidence to go in front of everybody and deliver a song,” he told Observer Online. “I had to make a choice though. Either I was gonna be really shy or I was gonna explore my talent and try to conquer the low confidence. I decided to conquer my fears and it worked.”

The entertainer, who is currently making moves on the local music scene through his single Alleviate, says he believes the time has come for him to really make a dent in the industry.

“I didn’t conquer my fears to play games,” he said. “Now is my time. The song Alleviate is really doing well. Its getting the numbers on Youtube, its getting airplay and I’m really getting good feedback from people who are listening to the track. I believe this song is going to do it for me because its already opening doors.”

Speaking of doors, the entertainer said he’s faced his fair share of closed ones. In fact, it got so difficult for him at one point that Devyus said he stopped doing music altogether.

“Mi always hear people say good things can come even when you’re at your lowest and Alleviate show me dat. That song came about when I was at the lowest point of my life. Mi did just feel like mi nah get no help or support from friends, family, colleagues and I was in a depressed mood,” he shared. “Mi bredren Don Chaos send me a song wid Pinkboss and tell mi listen and give me opinion. I told him I liked the song but the riddim caught my ears so I asked him to send me.”

“Is like me just pour out all mi emotions on the beat,” he added. “He called me back and said the song is a hit and based on what everyone is saying, seems like it is.”

Alleviate was released at the start of 2023 and has since racked up over 100,000 views on YouTube.

Naming fellow Calabar High alum Masicka as his inspiration, Devyus says his story, like Masicka, is one of perseverance and he hopes to one day be dominating the local industry in the same manner his fellow schoolmate is.

“Masicka story help mi a lot because mi a watch him from the ground to the top. Even though him never get the reaction at first him never stop working and that motivates me to keep on putting out the work,” he said. “I see myself as a very successful artiste because I am really determined to win. I see myself all over the world because I am multi-talented and I know I can get there.”