Sizzla is ready to burn some fire at this year’s Reggae Sumfest.
One of the artists that dominated in the 90s and 2000s, with his conscious dancehall brand, Sizzla Kalonji, is set to bring the same fire from that era come July. Sizzla, whose real name is Miguel Collins, is expected to take the stage at this year’s Reggae Sumfest, which is carded for July 20-23 at Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, St James.
The “Guide Over Us” deejay admitted that he is quite pumped to perform at the upcoming festival while speaking with the Jamaica Observer recently. He said that the show was great for showcasing Jamaican culture and that he intended to bring the cultural vibes of roots-reggae and Nyahbinghi to the fans.
Of course, by now, Sizzla is a seasoned campaigner and has also done Reggae Sumfest numerous times. Even with so much experience, he does not believe that this one will be any less of a scintillating performance. Being somewhat of a regular at the show has not stopped his zealousness towards this upcoming performance, and many of his fans are also excited at what he has prepared.
Sizzla is one artist who is known for always delivering energetic and lively performances. This is often enhanced if he is accompanied by his 35-piece orchestra. However, there has been no word about if they will accompany him for this performance.
The “Dem a Wonder” artist is still riding the high of yet another energetic performance from about two weeks ago at the Reggae Month’s penultimate event dubbed Rise to the Occasion — Sizzla Kalonji in concert. For this one, he and his 35-piece Reggae Orchestra enthused fans at the Gardens at the Pegasus in Kingston.
He admitted that the orchestra gave him a boost and that being surrounded by the beautifully arranged sounds gave him a different feeling for his set. One that he was able to translate to the fans who had gathered to hear him live. No doubt a treat for them especially considering live events have been extremely scarce in the last two years.
“It meant so much to my musical journey; I’m most honoured and elated. It was my duty and great pleasure being a part of such a grand event as I’m so passionate about singing for the people whilst delivering the message of black consciousness and self-representation,” he added.
His set covered most of his timeless classics, and he made sure to put his all into the performance. It truly was a complete performance as he and the orchestra incorporated some of his biggest hits like “Praise Ye Jah”, “One A Way”, “Holding Firm”, “Guide Over Us”, “Good Way”, and “Woman I Need You” to name a few.
Fans can thank the Jamaican Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, for the conception of that concert. Being a consummate professional, he added that rehearsals with the band were not that complex and that they had the showdown in just about five days.
The Executive Producer of Reggae Sumfest, Josef Bogdanovich, recently confirmed that the Rastafarian deejay will indeed be a part of this year’s highly anticipated show. What fans are hoping for is that the orchestra is part of that performance and that Sizzla does his thing and electrifies the stage.
