Champagnie is popping with creativity

Claims Records recording artiste Champagnie, who also goes by the name Scorcher Don, is basking in the success of his recently released single Affi Run, a song which he says he did mainly to show his lyrical prowess.

A past student of Camperdown and St Andrew Technical High schools, Champagnie is as articulate off record as he is lyrical on.

" Affi Run is proving the level of creativity that I can put into the music, and it is also a message to all the doubters. I have done music that has been cultural, love songs and reality songs, and with this I am showing that I am a rounded artiste," he explained.

Although the gritty single would perhaps fit in the reality category, he shied away from defining it and instead chose to elaborate on how it came into being.

"I got the riddim from Gutty Bling of Claims Records, but the project was already closed off. So I knew that I had to do my best. I listened to the riddim, tried to get lost in it and synchronised with it. In so doing, that was the vibe and we just run with it. It must be something that he heard that made him open up the riddim for me," Champagnie surmised.

The up-and-coming entertainer, who was born in Denham Town, Kingston, and grew up in Portmore, St Catherine, shared that both his parents were into dancehall music. As a result of hearing it at home, it soon started pounding through his veins.

"I used to listen to Bounty, Beenie, Ele, Sean Paul and other artistes, and by the time I reached primary school, I started to perform and write lyrics. You could say I found my love and right now, everybody is proud," he said.

Champagnie, whose given name is Shamar Champagne, recorded his first track Gyal Criminal at 19. He has been chasing his dream ever since and not even the pandemic can stop him. "COVID is not something good, but it came with an opportunity that if you are wise enough, you could run with it. It made connecting on social media easier because more ears were tuned in. My following has grown across all platforms since lockdown," the artiste shared. His follow-up song is titled A Who You.

Releases: A Nuh Time Yet, Get The Picture, Decided and Stand Tall ( Sure Fi Shot)

Inspiration: In mid-2016, after the passing of his best friend, he took his career to another level. He started writing about the memories they both shared. During that time he recorded A Nuh Time Yet, a collaboration with a colleague.