The buzz started long before the song dropped.
After teasing snippets of Different Ways on social media, rising dancehall star Complex Ricki watched anticipation snowball into one of the hottest conversations online. Now, the flirtatious collaboration with Shane O is translating that excitement into radio support, streaming momentum and a rapidly growing fan base.
“So far the feedback has been amazing,” Complex Ricki said. “I’m getting a lot of messages about how much people love the sound Shane O and I created together. Ever since I posted the first snippet on Instagram, the song has been gaining new supporters every day.
Built around infectious Afro-dancehall rhythms and effortless chemistry, the track has already landed on playlists at several of Jamaica’s leading radio stations. The response was so strong that the pair immediately headed to shoot a music video.
The buzz was crazy even before the song came out, so we knew we had to shoot a video,” she said. “Shane O has always been easy-going and supportive, so working with him was a great experience.”
The video mirrors the song’s playful exchange between two former lovers putting pride aside in hopes of rekindling their relationship.
“It’s about admitting you miss someone you’ve shared history with,” she explained. “It’s realizing you’re not perfect either and wanting to make things right.”
The collaboration almost happened by accident. Shane O said the pair met during a school tour after being introduced by a mutual friend.
I heard this sweet voice singing and immediately thought, ‘I’d love to do a song with this girl,'” he recalled. “We linked up in the studio and everything flowed naturally.”
For Complex Ricki, however, Shane O was always the first choice.
“When I wrote Different Ways, I already had him in mind because I knew what kind of writer he is,” she said. “When he finished his verse, I knew we had a banger.”
The single is the first taste of an upcoming EP that blends dancehall with Afrobeats and what the singer calls an “Afro-dancehall swing.
“My core audience is getting what they know me for, but in a fresh way,” she said. “Judging from the response to Different Ways, I think we definitely made the right choice.”
With radio support growing, social media engagement surging and a music video on the way, Different Ways is shaping up to be one of the season’s biggest dancehall collaborations.
