Devin Di Dakta not worried about trending

Grateful for where he is now, yet still dedicated to "beat the best to be the best", dancehall artiste Anthony 'Devin Di Dakta' Clarke is charting his musical path by expressing his own truth through his music.

His musical entrance was marked with his 2015 Magnum King of Dancehall win, but the Rrri Bam Bi Deng Deng singer said that his experience in music started long before that, with his venture into music production. He also started his own record label, Saint Kingston Music, four years ago. Devin has been committed to enhancing his musical skills, but consumers still raise questions about the present impact of his work.

In a recent Instagram post, he shared that someone asked how he survived off music without having the hottest song in the country?.

He told THE WEEKEND STAR, "With Jamaicans enuh, it's all about the trending charts. Mi live fi see it seh numbers might be the biggest lie in the music industry today. If you don't have the highest numbers or on the trending charts in Jamaica, everybody will say, 'Ok, you don't have the hottest song.' Fine, but I have people who are listening to my music, and I'm 100 per cent sure because I can check my analytics and see how many people are listening."

He acknowledged that he continues to receive strong local support, but firmly believes that his music is more appreciated internationally, saying that Forever More did well on the African continent. The entertainer said he does not feel pressured to produce "chopping" songs, as that is neither his style nor can he relate. He draws inspiration from dancehall veterans and international sounds like Taylor Swift, who he says, has "made her mark by being a billionaire based on her music", motivating him to strive for more.

Devin also shared that his most recent EP, Sophomore, addresses the need for more songs that "woman can wine up to", after sharing a story about a woman attempting to 'rifle walk' as a way of dancing with him at a party. He added that this catalogue is a follow-up to his first EP, Freshman, and projects will be a part of his debut album. He admitted that he deliberately chose university-themed names for them, "but I think that I will leave that until my debut album".