Beaming Buggy . . . Reggae artiste gets another award

Music has always been at the heart of everything that he does and even though Ryan Buggy Nhakente Chase has not been as visible on the local scene recently, he has still been flying the Barbadian flag high. The acclaimed reggae artiste, who has been living and working in Qatar for the last five years, is still dedicated to spreading love through music.

Despite moving abroad, his music has continued to resonate with local audiences. This was confirmed with his recent win at the Gine On?! People’s Choice Awards, where he won Reggae Artiste of the Year. Still basking in the satisfaction of receiving his latest accolade, Buggy says securing this award has provided some measure of validation.

The artiste told Bajan Vibes: “Winning Gine On?! People’s Choice Award for Reggae Artiste of the Year gave me a sense of accomplishment and appreciation. I am proud to know my contribution is resonating worldwide.” He added exuberantly, “Big up Gine On!”

Although his dream career has spanned almost 30 years, Buggy determination for perfecting his craft has not wavered.

“The best advice I can give to an upcoming reggae artiste would be continue to build on your craft. Don’t do everything on your own, surround yourself with a team that believes in you and what you do,” he advised.

That piece of advice is fuelled by his personal experience and becomes even more significant with the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to cast a pall of uncertainty on the entertainment fraternity with the inability to host events. However, having a contingency plan has provided a buffer for Buggy.

“Currently, I am self-isolated which impacts performing, the physical component of my career. Fortunately, having engaged the management services of Odyssey Entertainment in October 2019, we have worked very hard to structure my publishing and copyright situations. This allows me to still have viable income from sub-publishing deals.”

Buggy is devoted to those close to his heart and those moments of his coveted spare time is spent with them. “Downtime is family time first and foremost – spending time with my dogs, playing my guitar, video games, riding my mountain bike and listening to my wife!” he laughingly added.

The performer’s ultimate goal is to continue to capture the spirit of the people and express it through music. He draws his inspiration from an eclectic mix of artistes. “My musical inspirations range from Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley to Damien Marley and Sizzla because they inspire me at different phases of my life.”

Throughout his career, Buggy has shared the stage with some of the world’s premiere artistes. He noted: “My fondest musical memories are performing live with Sizzla, performing at Rebel Salute in Jamaica and seeing Barbadian engineer Adrian Odle at Garance Festival in France.” That moment of nostalgia is a true testament to the fact that no matter where you go, you can find a Bajan.

However, Buggy still has an unfulfilled desire in his “bucket list”. “One artiste I would like to collaborate with would be Damien Marley because his message resonates with what I do, and it would strengthen me as an artiste,” he said.

The creative process never ends, and Buggy’s fans can look out for something special with some new music on the horizon. “At present I am prepping and writing for recordings in the latter stages of 2020.” (STT)