STAR on the Rise: Kashu heading for the top

Up-and-coming artiste Kashu has hopes of taking his music career to the highest level.

Having been exposed to music from a tender age, the entertainer, given name Darren Williams, said it was hard not to fall in love with music. When he could not shake the fulfilling feeling he got when he was surrounded by a sound system and performing for small audiences, Kashu said he decided he would pursue music professionally.

The May Pen native told STAR on the Rise that ever since he made that decision in 2001, he has not looked back.

"I grew up around music because I'm from a musical background. My cousin used to own one of the biggest sound systems in Clarendon (Cosmic Force) and so I was always around watching and listening. It may sound like something every artiste would say, but I fell in love with music right there and then. As people always say, 'children live what they learn', and I definitely learnt the music business until I lived it," he said. "I knew from my early teenage years that music was what I wanted to do but I started taking it serious back in 2001 after winning the Reggae Trail talent search. It was a show hosted by Suzie Q on TV and it was there that I decided to really pursue a career in entertainment. I started spreading my wings and making moves in a few Caribbean countries, as well as the USA and Europe, and now I'm looking to take things even further. There's no looking back for me."

Many gatekeepers

Speaking of no looking back, Kashu says despite the many gatekeepers in the music industry, he is determined to not only make his mark on the local entertainment circuit but also on the international scene.

"I want to reach my Jamaican people but I'm also thinking global. My thing nuh box up like coffin and so me affi get it out there to the world, and honestly, that has been my main challenge in music. I want my material to get out there on a broad level on major platforms all over the world," he said. "But because there are so many gatekeepers in this business, it's an uphill battle, but a me sing Powerful so giving up is never an option. I'm going to continue fighting the good fight because the hill is not infinite. There is a top and I'm determined to reach it. As an artiste, it is always good to have a testimony because that is the 'test' before the 'money'."

Singles currently promoting: Name Yuh Blessings, Powerful, God Alone and Master Time.

Main inspiration in life: Life! Life is the biggest teacher we have, so how can we not learn from it? But aside from life, I really admire the musical work of Buju Banton and Bob Marley.