Warrior, the first song in two years by the Live Wyya band, was released on February 7. Produced by Chadian Munroe, it is expected to mark a busy year for the Ocho Rios-based band.

The single is the long-awaited follow-up to Woman Down The Lane which was released in early 2023. It is also a lead-up to Live Wyya’s fourth album, which will be out later this year.

“Our message is to educate, motivate and uplift the minds of our people,” said Carl Edwards, Live Wyya’s band leader and bassist. He added that it is important for the sextet to record music as well as play live. “On a stage, the rules change, but in the studio you can record and record until you get it right. It’s the same principle but a little different.”

Lead singer Jerome Smickle, Arnaldo Bolt on drums and background vocals, Nigel Shaw (keyboards), Stephan Foster (lead guitar) and Ian “Beezy” Coleman on rhythm guitar are Edwards’ colleagues in Live Wyya.

Munroe, a keyboardist who has collaborated with the band for many years, produced Warrior for his Rabu Rutsu Records.

Edwards and Bolt started Live Wyya in 1999, with Smickle also being a member of the original lineup. The latest member is Coleman, best known as a member of Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers and Stephen Marley’s bands.

Back to The Roots, Live Wyya’s third album, was released in April 2019. It contains 12 songs including collaborations with Bushman and Capleton.

Howard Campbell