Since he had been bitten by the music bug, St Elizabeth-based dancehall artiste Ovarall aspired to one day perform on the Reggae Sumfest stage.

That dream came true last month when he performed on Festival Night 1 of the entertainment spectacle. It was an opportunity that was made possible after he won a talent competition at Pier 1 in Montego Bay.

“I never knew about Star Struck Wednesdays until one of my baby mother’s brothers told me about it. He encouraged me to enter the contest because he believed I could win. I’m happy I took his advice,” Ovarall said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

By winning the competition, Ovarall won an automatic spot to perform at the internationally renowned music festival.

“Although I didn’t get much time on stage, I made a good impression on the audience. I am very grateful to the folks at Pier 1 and the organisers of Reggae Sumfest for giving me this opportunity,” he noted.

He added, “It was an elated feeling, a feeling that I dreamt of over the years. It’s like heaven came to earth. I must say that I envisioned gracing such a big stage and as such it was just a a matter of time before making it a reality.”

According to Ovarall, since his Reggae Sumfest debut, his stocks have risen musically.

“Reggae Sumfest actually started the journey for me. I was introduced to producers, recorded a few singles and I have done some interviews. I have also gotten multiple bookings for performances since then,” Ovarall said, adding “My aim was to gain exposure and to expand on my fan based. I am very happy with my career progression thus far.”

He is currently promoting a new single titled Talk Truth which was released via Top M Records.

Ten years ago, Ovarall finished second in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Big Stage competition in St Elizabeth.