Maxi Priest has ventured into Afrobeat territory with his latest single, “If You Dey By My Side,” as the genre continues to captivate global audiences.

The song, which features Afrobeat artiste Young D from Nigeria, was released on February 2. It is among multiple songs that the internationally acclaimed Priest plans to release this year.

“I’m always creating new things, always writing new songs, always trying new genres of music. I am always working with different people and enjoying my life as a touring artiste. As usual, there is still a lot of work to be done.  I have multiple songs planned for release this year,” Priest shared in an interview with Observer Online earlier this week.

The singer, known for a string of hits including Close to You, Wild World, Crazy Love, Grooving in the Midnight, That Girl (with Shaggy), House Call (with Shabba Ranks) and Set the Night to Music (with Roberta Flack), last released a full body of work in 2020 titled It All Comes Back to Love.

The album earned a nomination in the 63rd Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album.

Priest is also gearing up to hit the road and has selected dates in the Caribbean, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“I will also be kicking off my live show schedule in Grenada in April then I’ll be coming to Montego Bay, St James on April 28 before embarking on a US and UK tour with UB40 this summer,” Maxi Priest shared.