An Interview With Demarco ‘Da Don’, Dancehall Music’s All Rounder 

After nearly fifteen years in music, Dancehall star Demarco is finally releasing his debut album, Melody on October 22. For the deejay, producer, music video director and songwriter (etc..), the long-awaited LP arrives in the midst of many feats — including writing credits for the likes of Rihanna, and RIAA Gold Certification on one of his most epic beats, the Jambe An Riddim with its earworm track Party Animal by Charly Black. Demarco is also known for his contemplative breakout single Fallen Soldiers, party starters Puppy Tail and Lazy Body, and the affirming singalong I Love My Life.

More than a key element of his electric sonic creations, ‘melody’ is also the name of Demarco’s newborn daughter, and the suite seems even more momentous with these layers of meaning. The album is as ambitious and innovative as the dancehall all-rounder himself. Produced by Demarco and featuring guest appearances from Shaggy, Sean Paul, and Stephen Marley among others, the vibrant, genre-fusing tracks (like the latin-tinged lead single Mover featuring Konshens) display the deejay’s experimental take on sound engineering and definitive approach to lyricism.

Journeying between Jamaican and US shores, Demarco spent the last two decades mastering infused and enchanting sounds. Finally at home in his Ineffable Records deal, the self-styled ‘Bun Up’ Boss can’t wait to show it.

Demarco, whose real name is Collin Demar Edwards, caught up with DancehallMag to talk about the delay on his debut album, his impressive work ethic, songwriting, and much more.

This year marks 14 years of your music career. Why wait this long to release a debut album?

Why so long is mi neva find the right label fi put out a album fi me. I’ve been signed to two different record labels and all they did was, is like dem ah hold up my life, yuh understand? Me being a dancehall artist, I was signed to American labels that didn’t know how to market my music. But this label now, Ineffable Records, they’re familiar with dancehall and they’ve been releasing reggae music as well, so we came together and they showed me a perfect strategy.

Melody will finally be out soon. What’s your main focus for the rest of the year? 

Promoting the album after it comes out on October 22nd. The plan is to promote the album and shoot some videos and get it to a point where it do great inna di world.

You’re a self taught student of the music; started off listening to Alrick & Boyd & Mix Master Marvin on the radio to get better at the turntables, and then moved on to learning the business and owning your own label. How important is it to stay driven and teachable about your craft?

It’s very important. Yuh see me now, I’m my worst critic. Like me neva seh “Yow, mi reach” or “mi ah di baddest ting”. Mi always think if yuh feel seh yuh reach somewhere yuh nah go try fi go further. Mi always tell miself seh mi nuh waan buck, always tell miself ‘there’s more to do’. All when yuh feel like yuh can build riddim an all these tings, more tings deh deh fi go higher and higher so keep on pushing, so dat really give mi di drive to stay focused and keep working, nah mean?

When you left Jamaica, you achieved huge success in Afrobeats and the Latin American markets. How much of an eye opener has tapping those markets been? 

My eyes been open to the market enuh, because I Love My Life broke into the Afrobeats market. That’s the first place I got my big recognition from. To date, that is my biggest song, even the Nigerians thought I was Nigerian, that’s why the song was so big in Africa. A from deh time deh Africans start tap into my music.

Would you call yourself a perfectionist? At one point you almost deleted one of your most intriguing riddims to date, because you “didn’t like it”, the infamous Warning Riddim with hits like your own song, Sort Dem Out, as well as Mavado’s Money Changer. 

I am, mi always a try fi mek tings dat way. And mi feel seh is a curse fi mi too as well. Maybe dats why mi nuh put out a album yet. (laughs)

Let’s talk your foray into film, from directing music videos to even your acting debut as the menacing don ‘Bossy’ in Sprinter (2018). How much do you enjoy that creative medium and how invested in it are you currently?

I love it and I’m very invested in it. I have a whole lot of equipment, mi have every camera fi shoot movies. I currently have two RED cameras, I’m very serious about it. Ah whole heap ah tings me a put in place. Unnu ah go see wah go gwaan man. Even Konshens new video wid Davido wah day, me direct it as well.

You’ve written songs for everyone from Bounty Killer to Rihanna. Is there a set approach to your songwriting? Does the riddim or idea for your lyrics come first? 

Di riddim comes first. Mi haffi hear di riddim. Di riddim haffi inspire me. And then when I hear the riddim, if I like it, I will know what I want to sing. And first ting when me go inna a studio and put on headphones, yuh woulda laugh after me, cause when me go in deh mi jus sing bere foolishness. Mi jus hum until me hear a melody weh mi like, and then decide if I can use it for the chorus or the verse. Then after that, just start put words to the melody and then that’s it.

Did you have a different mindset when creating the album, as opposed to individual tracks or singles?

No. Some of the songs on the album, they’re not really new. Is songs weh mi did have before and decide seh yow, dem song yah mi ah go keep dem fi mi album. Ah songs weh me jus have personally and seh, ‘Yeah, this’. And I produced most of the album. Ah think ah like three or four other producers are on it, the rest of the album ah me produce it.

Has the lockdown affected the recording of the album at all?

No because mi do it all miself. Mi have mi own studio so… Nothing cyaan stop me from create music. Ah jus Father God alone can stop me! (laughs)

What was the creative process like for the album? Over what period were the tracks written?

Maybe over a two year period. Ah mean mi have hundred million song enuh, but mi jus pick out these songs. Mi have so much song. Right now mi have bout 100 album worth a songs.

Since you’ve tapped both the Afrobeats and Latin American markets, are there any particular venues/towns/cities you’re looking forward to once lockdowns are lifted?

Every one ah dem. Mi ready fi road, ready fi tour. Out! Ready!

What are the top 5 Demarco songs you’d recommend to someone who has never heard your music before?

I Love My Life, Fallen Soldiers, True Friends, Party Animal, No Wahala. 

You recently unveiled your RIAA Gold Plaque for your contribution to Party Animal on the Jambe An Riddim. Have there been any standout beats to you over the years though? Any riddim that you really like or even wish you’d made?

Too much. Whole heap. Cause music inspire people too enuh. Music inspire me fi go inna di studio and build and create tings. Whole heap! Dave Kelly ah one ah dem. Ah Dave Kelly really mek me waan build riddim as a likkle youth. Mi couldn’t wait till my riddim dem sound suh an ah mek noise, an dem time mi not even know how riddim build. But mi know mi waan do it.

For these next two questions, fill in the blanks. 

If I could meet any dancehall/ reggae legend, (living or dead) it would be ___? Bob Marley

If I could remake, or be featured on one classic dancehall/reggae album, it would be ___? Da Real Thing – Sizzla

And lastly, what do you want listeners to take away from Melody? 

The growth, the range, whole heap ah things, the construction of the album, production, everything. The melodies, (laughs) it name ‘Melody’, yuh understand? Di way everything is in place, nothing nuh off key, nah mean? Instruments, vocals, everything is just right, and that it’s such a great body of work.

Demarco drops his next single from Melody in July, a groovy mid-tempo joint sure to make fans dance all their stress away.

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