American Singer Eddie Witz Wants To Help Boost Jamaican Tourism
As American singer Eddie Witz prepares for the release of his debut album Eddie Witz and The Most High, the Jamaican influence in his sound is conspicuous.
He admitted that his music and sound have been influenced by Jamaican creatives and musicians, which even inspired him to shoot visuals for his single My Island in the resort town of Ocho Rios in the parish of St.Ann.
He hopes the song will be able to burgeon Jamaican tourism.
“My first record My Island was co-written and co-produced by Jamaican born songwriters and producers Native Wayne Jobson and Brian Jobson, as well as co-written by Jeff Barry who wrote the 1970 global hit song “Montego Bay”. The intention for My Island was to be another travelogue record to help Jamaican tourism and express the beauty and sacredness of Jamaica,” he said.
“Jamaican music and culture has always influenced me both personally and professionally since first visiting the sweet island as a young boy. I discovered Bob Marley’s music and never looked back, I was so happy to be immersed in the world of reggae music and culture. So much so, that I came back with the intention to visit Bob’s resting place in Nine Mile and pay my respects. My music has a heavy influence and positive consciousness that allows me the ability to express my feelings and emotions through the lyrics and melodies,” he told DancehallMag.
The creative process was also heavily influenced by Jamaicans.
“We started by getting drum kit parts from legendary Jamaican producer and musician Sly Dunbar, as well as keyboard parts from the Jamaican keyboardist, Robbie Lyn. We then worked on tracking steel drum and additional percussion instruments in LA, while recording the vocals. We meticulously worked on editing the track to get it to a sound that felt timeless,” he added.
Witz, who suffers from the rare condition Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, hopes his resilience will inspire others.
He explained that his path to healing began unexpectedly, as a shingles attack stemming from personal trauma led to the rare condition leaving him with partial paralysis on the right side of his face, head, and neck. Instead of succumbing to despair, Eddie embraced his journey with courage and creativity.
“It’s been a roller coaster ride as the condition is very damaging to my ability to move my facial muscles, but it’s also given me a newfound strength and respect for the human body. The key lesson is learning to live life in a perpetual state of feeling grateful, accepting, and forgiving which protects oneself from illness and disease.” he shared.
“Learning to lean into forgiveness, being grateful and accepting is an invaluable lesson that I can’t forget. When a person is overcome with fear, anxiety and anger or rage they hurt themselves. Instead, what I did was to maintain determined in the face of adversity, and find creative outlets for healing, my music. these aspects of my journey can inspire other artists facing similar challenges to find strength in their own experiences and express themselves creatively as a means of resilience,” he added.
His debut album, Eddie Witz and The Most High, will be released in the summer of 2024 and embodies his journey of self-discovery and transformation.