RomaStar ready to ‘shine bright’ in music

Though he has a bachelor's degree in economics, RomaStar feels his dollars and cents are tied into the music industry.

With a rebranded approach and image, RomaStar, given name Alain Messam, said he's ready to go full force into music while being guided by his alma m ater Black River High School's motto, 'We create our own destiny'.

"When I decided I was going to pursue a career in music, I said to myself, I need to look different [and] rebrand myself from who 'Messam' was - a university student - and once someone matriculate from the university yuh a look fi dem pursue [a career] in whatever they go to study. [But] plot twist, RomaStar just mek everything change. 'Roma' came from the first four letters of my middle name (Romania) and mi jus add 'Star' to it cause mi a shine bright," he told THE STAR.

After residing in Kingston for the past 10 years, the St Elizabeth native said his start in music just over a year ago came as a "sign". He visited a studio to book Teejay for his Big Mood Fridays event, and the artiste's manager kept questioning if he was an artiste because he looked and dressed the part.

"Mi used to get dat [statement] a lot still. And [at that time] I was at a place in my life after COVID when mi realise seh I want to do something which creates value outside of having my degree, which [represents] me. Suh mi seh 'Alright, if mi have di look aready and mi know mi have [the ability] to create things and bring dem to life, mi seh mi a go tek on a new challenge nuh matta how difficult it be,'" he shared.

However, after sharing the idea with a close friend, he was mocked because they didn't think he was serious. The following morning, RomaStar said he shared a song via voice message, telling a friend, "Mi a one artiste". After the voice message was played among himself and his sceptical colleagues, RomaStar said he used that experience to fuel his next move to prove that he was "better than what they heard in that voice message".

Despite not taking the traditional nine-to-five path, while holding a degree, the artiste said his mother is happy with his decision as she often refer to him as her 'Starboy'. He said he is determined to prove the naysayers wrong.

"I like new challenges and my plan is to make myself the brand and then tie it back to my degree. I started doing music from scratch and mi very determined, especially if mi tell miself seh mi want supm, and given that mi know how fi win, mi ago apply the same strategy. It nuh easy, but if yuh mek up yuh mind fi do supm, just dweet, the results ago come. You can't stop mi even if yuh try, a mi alone can stop miself," said the Speed deejay.

He paid homage to music label, Prime Time Music, and his team who are currently moulding his career. Sizzla, Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel, along with some of the new-generation artistes such as Rajah Wild and Kraff are among the artistes who RomaStar said he 'vibes to' but never 'imitates' as his style is to be strictly authentic to his own brand.

"With my music and how I present myself, I'm nothing like you've ever seen before and I'll never be nothing like you'll ever see after. I'm just the anomaly," he confidently expressed. The emerging artiste said in order to get the recognition he wants, he refuses to limit his talents to a particular genre and music style. The Active Lifestyle artiste said that while working to achieve the status of an established artiste, he hopes to grow his audience not only through music, but through leadership, as he previously held leadership roles while attending The University of the West Indies, Mona.