A reggae troubadour in the mould of 1970s icons Culture and Pablo Moses, Derajah has established himself in Europe and Brazil by releasing songs with strong social messages.

He continues that tradition with ‘Love Up’, a song he recorded with debutant MG Liz. Derajah also co-produced the single which was released on January 16.

‘Love Up’ is one of many songs the roots artiste recorded with MG Liz last year. Derajah describes 2025 as one of the most productive periods since he began recording music 23 years ago.

“Last year was as busy as ever for me. I’m always immersed in what I love—recording, creating, and researching music. My time is spent traveling, making new music, and connecting with other creative minds,” he said. “I’ve built up quite a catalogue of unreleased material. Last year alone, I recorded over 20 songs that haven’t been released yet, and that’s on top of what I’ve already put out.”

‘Red’, ‘Chant’ and ‘Justice’ are some of the solo songs he released in 2025. There was also ‘Where is Our Culture’, a collaboration with Cedric Myton and Wormbass.

The rootsy ‘Love Up’ is co-produced by Bruno Dupre, a Brazilian musician who played most of its instruments. He has collaborated on several songs with Derajah who has visited Brazil four times.

“Brazil is a beautiful country, and I’m grateful for the love I receive there. The audience for Derajah’s music is really growing, and I’m loving that growth. The people there connect deeply with my music, which means a lot to me,” he said. “Brazil is definitely at the top of my list for places I want to visit more often.”

Europe, however, is his biggest market. He has toured there several times, most recently with Inna De Yard, a roots collective that also includes Myton and Winston McAnuff.

‘Who Yeah Yah’, a mystic song he recorded for famed guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith in 2002 opened doors for Derajah in Europe, especially France. The French band, Donkey Jaw Bone, co-produced ‘Paris is Burning’, his first album which was released in 2011.

“What I love about Europe is the genuine passion people have for music—it permeates everything from the concerts to the production quality to the craftsmanship. The venues, the sound systems, the lighting—the entire level of production is impressive,” he said.

Derajah is one of the artistes scheduled to perform at the Wickie Wackie Music Festival in Bull Bay, eastern Jamaica. The February 12-14 event salutes the legacy of Stephen “Cat” Coore, the Third World guitarist and co-founder who died on January 18.

(Photo contributed)