The Singer’s 7-Year Journey To Make His Debut Album, Live Life & Prosper
“Reggae music is a music of motivation, soul, and also mental upliftment,” says D’Yani. The rising Jamaican star passed through Boomshots HQ in New York City recently to talk about his debut album, Live Life & Prosper. The young singer was accompanied by Remus, the charismatic producer behind the project whose label XTM Nation has carried on the legacy of Xterminator Records, the legendary imprint launched by his late great father, Philip “Fatis” Burrell.
“D’Yani’s writing comes from an honest place,” says Remus, who produced the singer’s hit single “Live a Little” in 2023. “We’re not forcing anything or trying to be anything. I never had to, like, bring cultural roots to him or anything. He has been brought up with that, his father is a Rastaman. So it’s just realness.”
Still, there’s no denying that the sound on Live Life & Prosper marks a growth or evolution or growth from earlier works like his dancehall-style tracks like “Feelings” featuring Jada Kingdom. D’Yani says he’s inspired by the versatility of musical pioneers who paved the way for him. “Artists like Buju Banton do it so easily, effortlessly, float across genres, dancehall and reggae music,” says D’Yani. “I’m always inspired and I aspire to be as great as a man like Buju.”
Still, the process of crafting D’Yani’s debut albumwas anything but effortless. Reshma B’s in-depth interview reveals that the singer has been working on some of the songs from Live Life & Prosper for over seven years, a testament to the old Jamaican saying “nothing before the time.” Remus recruited some of Jamaica’s greatest living musicians to lend their skills to the recordings, including Earl “Chinna” Smith on guitar and Dean “Ivanhoe” Fraser on saxophone. The reception for this project has proven that all the painstaking effort was worth it.
Fresh off an international rollout for #LLAP, D’Yani says a world tour is in the works. But for now he says he’s planning to take time to “Live a little, breathe a little, and go out and enjoy life”—just like the song says. Before departing Boomshots HQ, D’Yani joined forces with Mr. Music himself, Sidney Mills, for an acoustic BoomJam. Gwan enjoy the video below.
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