Ikatik always searching for ways to grow

Emerging recording artiste Ikatik has so much passion for his art that he is working tirelessly to evolve in the craft.

"I always stand out because I've made music become a part of me. I'm always searching for ways to evolve in whatever way, especially in my writing and performance skills," Ikatik, given name Jermaine Gushman, told THE STAR.

The recording artiste first discovered his love for music while attending high school. He wrote and recorded his first song, Dem Badmind, in fifth form. And based on the reactions from schoolmates, staff and those on the outside, it was evident that he was destined for great things.

The One More Time singer initially started out as a deejay. But after recognising that diversity was key to making it in this industry, he taught himself to sing via 'YouTube university'. With all the free time he had, he practised until he developed his sound, a smooth mixture of pop and reggae.

He is hoping to follow in the legendary footsteps of artistes like Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and Bob Marley, who all inspire him. He tried the name Locatic, given to him by a 'bredren', at the beginning of his career. But he soon aligned with Rastafarians, changing his moniker to Ikatik.

He notes that he doesn't usually write his songs. His creative process includes listening to the beat, getting a certain vibe, and going straight in the booth to record his naturally flowing lyrics.

Ikatik's major challenge in his musical career is not having enough studio time to produce quality songs. A firm believer in becoming the change he would like to see manifested in his world, he went behind the scenes and studied music frequencies. Over time, the artiste developed his own style of creation as an audio engineer.

His first recorded single in January 2020, Jiggle, continues to do well. Ikatic revealed that it was very easy to work with producers JimmyQ and KingJhev.

"We have known each other for quite a while and there has always been great positive energy," he said. His first EP, titled Style of Love, is a heartfelt dedication to the ladies.

"I have been putting in a lot of work in the studio, working with different producers on projects from Top Ten Records (USA), Frenz for Real, and lots more with Eastwing Productions," he added.

Place of birth: Ikatik was born in Lesterfield, Clarendon, and raised in the community of Longville Park.

Dream collaborations: Stalk Ashley and Torey Lanez.

Other occupation: Audio engineer.

One thing people would be surprised to know: "I have a habit of putting my phone on silent and on its face when I am in the studio."