Jamaican superstar Diana King who recently performed in town tells that she believes in living life one day at a time
The third visit of Diana King, the Jamaican reggae artiste, to India is an extension to her endless soul seeking journey. She has been on this self-analytical trip ever since she came to the country for the first time. “I have been curious and dying to come back since I set foot in India. I feel a special bond with India as my mother is Indo-Jamaican. I have roots in this country,” said King.
The international R&B queen enraptured people and grabbed the limelight in 90s with her soulful voice. She hit the global superstardom featuring with Notorious B.I.G. in Respect, after which she created the hit track Shy Guy for the Will Smith blockbuster Bad Boys. She delivered many chart topping numbers like Summer Breezin, Spanish Town Blues and Say a little pray which served as the soundtrack of the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding among others.
Her distinctive style has been sought after by acclaimed musicians and artistes such as, Brian McKnight, Kyle Eastwood, Jimmy Jam & Terry lewis, and German Reggae Star Gentleman.
Speaking about what kind of artistes she would like to work with, King said, “I’m open to anything. Music runs in my blood and I’m willing to work with any musician who can make me feel good. The feel good positive vibe is important for me.”
She performed at two of Raasta’s outlets in Delhi and Gurgaon over the weekend. “We were trying for a long time to rope in King but things couldn’t fall in place somehow. We finally managed to bring her to Delhi,” said Joy Singh, owner Raasta.
On how the reggae music scene has evolved over the course of time she said, “Things have evolved a lot. There are a lot of collaborations happening today which is good. People are mixing different genres with reggae. Art is about the artiste’s reality or interest.”
King kept her fans waiting and came pretty late to perform the final gig. Delhi Sultanate and King Jasim, the Bangalore based reggae artiste kept the edgy music enthusiasts entertained in the mean time. She finally turned up at the venue in her trademark black hooded jumpsuit amidst cheers of the eager crowd.
Calling love her greatest inspiration in life and music, King says, “For me the most important thing in life is to love things I do. It’s like the Rastafarian brotherhood which comes from peace of mind which is the ultimate dose of happiness.”
Her debut album grossed over $5 million in sales worldwide and led to her sophomore album Think like a Girl. Both original and remix versions of Diana’s hit song I Say a little Pray, the follow up single to the l-l-lies were huge hits on the Reggae R&B and Dance Billboard charts worldwide.
King’s music is not necessarily the mainstream reggae rather an amalgamation of lot of genres. She has had a lot of influences on her craft. She said her creativity comes from the people she meets on a regular basis. Anybody can inspire her — from a jaywalker to a celebrity friend. “Every person has the ability to teach you various things in life. You can get multiple ideas even from a short conversation with the person sitting next to you,” said she.
Speaking about her upcoming projects, King said she doesn’t like to think much about future. “I prefer to live in the moment. I believe in living right now and here. And as of now I want to take some time off for myself and enjoy as much as I can. Performances can stress you out so relaxing is necessary.”