Most reggae artistes make claim to a positive vibration. Skorpioh, given name Oraine Bowers, is one such artiste who comes across as very positive. In fact, he is referred to as, the singer with the stinging voice.

His lyrical content is amazingly conscious, and here are a few lines of his latest song, ‘Positive Vibration’:
“A positive vibration generates
Spiritual elevation to the mind
Sweet reggae music,
My vaccination
Yeh, mi tek it fi every situation
It keep me alive…”

Skorpioh keeps rolling out stinging lyrics like a money machine:
“Mi waan war fi cease
Violence fi decrease
Put a stop to the killing
Mek wi increase the peace
And Mr, mek dis yah rhyme register
Protect wi little brother and wi little sister…”

I could not delay asking him some pertinent questions.

Are you a Rastafarian? “I don’t possess the features of a Rastafarian, except the pronounced beard. But, I am a Rasta at heart. Rasta is love and love is positive music which is expressed by my gigantic vocals.”

I quickly threw out my next bait. Why gigantic? “Whenever I perform, people keep saying my voice is bigger than me. I love music and regardless of the outcome, I will be doing music forever.”

I also learnt that Skorpioh has been singing since he was five years old. “My mom had great vocals and she never hid it. She was always singing at church concerts, even at home, just about anywhere, including the kitchen and bathroom.”

“I would also sing, even to the hills, and this felt as if the hills were responding through echoes. At the time I was living in Summer Hill, St. James, which harbours the Lou Lou River where I would also sing whenever I went there to get water. This was one of our daily errands as children, except on Saturdays as we worshipped on the Sabbath (Saturday).”

As a teenager, Scorpioh took a back seat in music and was more focused on track and field and schoolwork. The turning point came after his uncle died. “I missed him so much because he was the one who took me on my first stage show in Negril, where I performed a cover version of ‘Skylarking’ made popular by Horace Andy.

“I never forget his beating in my head always pursuing my passion which was music. I later joined the singing quartet WORD (Winston, Oraine, Randal, Danero), and began to perform at a number of shows, including Genesis, a gospel show held at Montego Bay Community College.”

He recorded ‘Come Back Home’, his first song in 2011. The riddim hosted other artistes, including Tarrus Riley and Konshens.

He met Kyoni Recordz in 2021. This led to the release of ‘Positive Vibration’. “I think Kyoni Recordz is very serious, one who has the passion and energy to take my career to higher heights. I also believe our music relationship will be long-standing. And, I hope to win a Grammy for my music, and to help other entertainers to achieve fame and fortune.”

(Photo contributed)