Reggae artiste Mortimer was pleasantly surprised on Friday after receiving his first Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category for the project From Within.

“I’m grateful that people see value in what we do. I am still gathering my thoughts on the whole thing, but it feels good to know that we have made a positive impact. We’ve come a far way. It’s an honour and we give thanks,” Mortimer told the Jamaica Observer shortly after the announcement was made.

From Within was released in September 2024 via Overstand Entertainment and Easy Star Records. The album offers a heartfelt exploration of love, self-discovery, and the duality of human experience. It blends classic reggae with R&B, 80s pop, and other genres, standing at the crossroads of tradition and innovation.

It features collaborations from Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, Kabaka Pyramid (who won the Grammy in the same category in 2023 for The Kalling), and Lila Iké — who earned her own nomination this year for the project Treasure Self Love.

The other nominees for this year are Vybz Kartel (Heart & Soul), Jesse Royal (No Place Like Home), and Keznamdi (Blood & Fyah).

Mortimer explained that he wanted to purge his inner thoughts and emotions during the album’s conception.

“The goal for me with this album was just to explore where my heart was at, and where my mind was at. I was in a place where I had to express some things that were on my mind and my heart. Sonically, I wanted the frequency to match that energy. I had the opportunity to produce the album with Winta James, and I feel like together we put together a body of work that echoed my soul accurately,” he said.

Born in Kingston, but raised in the rural district of Whitehall, St Elizabeth, like most Jamaicans Mortimer began his musical journey in the church. For him, it was in the Seventh-day Adventist Church he began singing on the choir at age eight.

In the meantime, he has defended the evolution of reggae, amidst some critics saying that it has lost its authenticity.

“I would say that everyone has a right to their opinion. Art is subjective and relative to each person. That being said, I don’t agree. I don’t think it has lost intensity, because the sound has evolved or because musicians are experimenting with different sounds or messages. I think we are in a space where some great reggae music is being made. Big up to all the other nominees who are making great reggae music,” Mortimer said.