STAR on the Rise: Danish sees music as his only option

RELEASES: Bless Me God, Tomorrow and Me, Myself and I.

INSPIRATION: He doesn't have any specific musical inspiration because he listens to, and learns from all, artistes.

INTERESTING FACT: Danish entered Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall approximately nine times before he made it to the live shows. His last relationship ended because of his determination to pursue music.

Ricardo Lovelace is known in the music sphere as 'Danish'. Some may remember the 27-year-old as a contestant from last year's staging of the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition. Danish was among the favourites in the talent competition and narrowly missed out on a top-three placement when he was awarded fourth place.

The artiste, who has been working on his debut EP since exiting the competition, believes he has what it takes to make it big in the industry.

Danish told THE STAR that after being introduced to the public on the Magnum stage, he thought it would have been easier to find his footing in the entertainment industry. He has, however, been struggling to get his big break.

"Magnum a one a di greatest thing ever happen to Danish. In terms of the publicity, everyweh yuh go people know yuh; but apart from dat, a you now haffi market yuhself. And as a young artiste weh nuh really have no links inna di business, it hard," he said.

"Me did figure say after me come off a Magnum, it woulda be easy fi make entry, but me get fi learn say the whole music industry revolve in a certain circle and it hard fi break in. The music space nuh open enough fi young artiste. When yuh reach pon a level, a dat time yuh find people wah work wid yuh. But me wah tell the gatekeepers say give we a platform fi help we mek things happen."

Meanwhile, Danish explained that he recognised he had a talent when he was about 15  years old, and since then has not envisioned himself doing anything other than music.

ALL OR NOTHING

"My theory is, a person who has a plan B is a person who plans to fail, so me just a go head-on like a collision and whatever happens, happens," he said.

"Dreams can come true, me believe dat. Me also believe say dreams without works a go stay dreams enuh, and that's why me nah give up. Maybe some people woulda say nobody nah hear yuh song dem and dem will tell yuh say dis a nuh fi you, but when me enter Magnum and see how much people attention me get, me know say music a fi me."

Danish is currently putting the finishing touches on his debut EP that is set for release at the end of this month via Footprint Entertainment.

"Me a come out wid a EP called Reflections. Me give it dat name because every single track weh a go deh pon it, me basically a reflect pan life and where me coming from," he said.