REGGAE singer Duane Stephenson has just returned from the first half of a successful tour of the South American continent.

This first leg of the tour came after the release of Black Gold — considered his best album to date. The tour, which began in Lima, Peru on November 11, has so far also gone through Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador.

In Argentina, Duane Stephenson performed in Tucuman, San Juan, Mendoza, Neuquén and Comodoro. In Uruguay Duane stopped at Montevideo on November 23, and then moved on to Quito, Ecuador.

Duane says the tour is a new experience for him as he has never performed in South America before and is overwhelmed by the response of the people. “It’s a wonderful experience, people actually know the songs even though there is a language barrier. I am very happy that I took this opportunity, and while it’s a challenge to travel the great distances between cities and countries, it’s a sacrifice well worth it for reggae music.”

For the second leg of the tour which is set for January, Duane will journey to Brazil for five shows in cities such as Guaratuba, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Salvador Da Bahia, and Recife. After Brazil, Duane will complete his tour of South America with one show in Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 16.

Duane, who has been busy promoting his latest album, says he is focused on pushing his music to new markets.

“There are a lot of opportunities. Right now I’m focused on Black Gold, because it’s early days yet. We’re looking for new avenues for getting the music out there. The one thing that’s going to remain consistent is my release of good wholesome music that the family can listen to. I just want to tell the fans thank you for the support that I’ve been getting, thanks for the love and support from all over the world.”