Minister Blessed goes ‘Non-Stop’ in the UK

With more than 20 years of experience in performing reggae gospel, Minister Blessed is going non-stop with his music career in the United Kingdom.

"A few people would pass remarks about how energetic I am. Some would even wonder if I can't calm down. So this song puts things into perspective. When God blesses us, he does it exceedingly abundantly and when it's time to give Him praise, we have to do so non-stop," he said, referring to the title of his latest song.

After receiving the rhythm from Newlyfe Records, Minister Blessed, whose given name is Matthew Blake, was given a two-week deadline to have the song written and recorded. He loved the instrumental, which made for a smooth writing process. By week two, there were only two lines missing so he filled the gap in the studio.

"This is my second time working with Newlyfe Records, having first worked with them in 2020. The relationship got off to a rocky start but has become better as we now understand our likes and dislikes, so it's easier to put out top quality music," he admitted.

Since moving to England, he has remained focused on maintaining his ties with the Jamaican entertainment market. Between 2018 and 2019, he returned to home soil, performing on a number of shows and launching his fourth album, Set Me Free. By 2020, however, he began making a crossover with a debut performance in Guernsey. The musical landscape, he revealed, is quite different from his roots. Being a man of versatility means adjusting and adapting to new environments and new situations. So he did just that.

"I am now making a more concerted effort to strike that balance of appealing to listeners in different geographical territories, but still keeping that Jamaican energy and flavour," he said, initiating that change with Non-Stop. His hope is that this song resonates with all persons, and that they will be able to appreciate the message and dance to its infectious beat. He even started a 'Non-Stop Challenge' on social media to engage with his audience through movement.

Giving people the freedom to release their praise in their own unique way without fear of judgement or criticism is an important goal and he hopes the track achieves the mission.

The aim is to broaden his musical reach even further and expand the impact and relevance of gospel reggae. In addition to promoting Non-Stop, he plans on staging a live event in Guernsey called 'Non-Stop Jammin' this month.