Winna Maxx cutting hits instead of hair

Winna Maxx says that he is realising his dream of becoming a respected entertainer as well as producer.

A former barber, he has always had a passion for music and has recently boxed up his shears and clippers to show that he has razor-sharp skills in studio.

"From the day I was born, it was known that a star was on the rise," Winna Maxx said in his interview with THE STAR. "I still have a shop and rent that space out to someone but that wasn't the only thing I invested my time and money in. When I recognised the cost of renting a studio space by the hour, I knew I had to make my own studio."

Over time, more persons heard about Winna Maxx's home studio and he partnered with Koloni One Records, under which he has produced for the likes of Sizzla for his single Too Long, Shawn Storm with ICool and Squash on Free Mi Mind, among other dancehall acts. He expressed that the worst thing an artiste or producer can do is to rush through a production. He also shared that he has been sitting on one track for almost two years, a tribute to his father Winston Turpin, which he had hoped to release in 2020.

MY GUIDING SPIRIT

"Yuh cyaa rush and record great song ... and anything I create as a tribute has to be great. At [the] time I was to release the song, that was the day he was buried, the mix was not ready the way I wanted it to be and now, I have to consider voicing it over," he said. "My dad passed away a couple days before my birthday in November 2020. He was a man that believed in me more than anybody else and I had wanted to accomplish certain thing while he was here but I know he is guiding me in spirit."

It was clearly a hard hit emotionally for Winna Maxx, whose given name is Shamar Turpin, but he has managed to turn pain into purpose. He has done a lot of work over the past two years, releasing singles with catchy hooks such as Winning, Give Thanks and Changes, and is awaiting the release of a collaboration with veteran dancehall deejay Shane-O titled Pain.

"I have been getting great feedback, especially with Changes that is on the same riddim as Jahshii's Born Fighter. At the time I was going through a phase, and someone who I had put my trust in started bringing bad energy. That friend knows it is about him because me deejay ' good friend sell me out fi di Bimma and the Range' and about sharing one dumpling. The message I am sending is to be careful who you surround yourself with, to learn to accept these changes and not allow it to make you become a negative person," Winna Maxx explained.

"On the other hand, you have to put good out in the universe to get back good, and I think that is why many persons have worked with me. Shane-O is someone who I've known for a while and he giving me a strength with the project we did together. Persons can look out for a lot more music coming from me. I don't plan to let any of my investments go to waste," he continued.