A “cancelled” Crop-Over is making little difference to entertainer Fadda Fox when it comes to making and releasing good vibes.
The singer, real name Nicholas Sealy, has three songs that are making waves. His first release, Sweet Spot, has been out longer and therefore has received more positive feedback than the two recent releases Doh Mind Dem and Shaky Energy.
Along with his releases, he has also written and co-produced Summa’s song Man Ah D Least.
The talented Fadda Fox wrote Sweet Spot, Shaky Energy and got some help from Vincentian Jamesy P and co-wrote Doh Mind Dem.
In a recent interview with Bajan Vibes, the singer and producer explained how he came up with the idea for the three songs.
As it relates to Sweet Spot, he said: “The concept came on Uber Soca Cruise last year while listening to some Afrobeats and reviewing the regions my music was being streamed via my Apple Music for Artist and Spotify account. I noticed a drastic increase in some unusual territories – Africa, UK, France, Germany, Mexico, India, Korea, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Switzerland, Norway, Bangladesh, Qatar, Honduras, etc.
“I felt the need to tap into a few of those markets and work on building my fanbase. I recorded a demo on the ship and sent it to a Dominican producer Krishna Dadamanufakture Lawrence who’s known for the hit Famalay. He also produced Good Ole Days for me in 2018.
“I explained to him that I wanted the project to have a World Music type vibe where I wanted to create an authentic fusion using soca and Afro beats. He liked the idea, and this is the end result.”
As for Doh Mind Dem, which he sings on the Big Body Riddim, a US Virgin Islands Project, he is appealing to the ladies.
“I sent the riddim to Jamesy and told him that I’m feeling an independent ladies kind of anthem for it, but one where we’re cheering on the victim and telling her not to focus on the negative people around her and keep on soaring. He found the chorus, and I constructed the verses.”
When it comes to Shaky Energy, which is on the Inside Out Riddim, it’s more of a personal message he delivers on the dancehall-type track.
“It’s been a while now that a few people have been asking me to apply a dancehall type of approach to a track. I opted to do this project while writing it since it was more of a summer riddim and carries a soca bashment fusion. This one is geared directly to the ‘wolves out there in sheep clothing’ who act like they’re on your team but really don’t mean any good and don’t want to see you progress or do better than them.”
Fadda Fox said neither of the projects took long to pull together. Actually, he shared his writing formula with Bajan Vibes.
“I usually give myself three days to wrap up my writing on a track and I don’t go over an hour each day. My approach is simple: Day 1: complete concept, story line and chorus. Day 2: complete hooks and verses and Day 3: review and tweak.”
The entertainer said that the response, especially for Sweet Spot, has been great. The other two tunes, which were both released on Friday, July 24, have been doing well too.
“It’s always a great feeling to bring your visions and compositions to life and watch them get that household love. It’s an amazing feeling man, but I still try to remain focused on the other projects ahead of me.”
Fans can expect more music from Fadda Fox, who said he will be releasing new music right down to December.
“Music is very important during these times. Music tends to lift people’s spirits in time of trial, when things are uncertain and where the global community is in a state of unrest. Music can help anyone feel better. Music is healing, and it’s as important as ever!”
The artiste who is usually heavily booked during the Crop Over season said news of its cancellation was “bittersweet”.
“It was bitter because [not having] the feeling of being able to unwind at your favourite events during the Sweetest Summer Festival was a hard pill to swallow. Sweet because at the end of the day, we need to consider safety and everyone’s health first and foremost. So I think it was a wise decision.”
Of last year’s season he said: “It was a great feeling to witness and be a guest performer at the newly transitioned Soca Monarch held at The Botanical Gardens. I honestly think the organizers and shareholders did a great job. I love that venue.”
For Fadda Fox, the hardest part of the COVID-19 lockdown period was the inability to travel and work.
“Not being able to travel the world and bring joy to your fans was very difficult to cope with at first. But I opted to use that time to do a lot more digital marketing for my music and an online production course. So, rather than focusing on the negatives, I tried to use the time wisely while spending time with my family.”
He added: “There’s no doubt that it has been difficult staying home. Many people complain about feeling bored and aimless. Being alone, especially for extroverts, can be exhausting and lonely. Some might even feel that it’s a breach of their individual right, being forced to stay home. Social distancing can be very difficult, but it can also teach you a lot about yourself. You learn how to keep yourself busy.”
Fadda Fox believes that an individual should not hesitate to make a personal sacrifice for the “greater good”.
“One should always be willing to sacrifice a little bit of that freedom. A balance between individual rights and public safety is an ever-changing thing. Trade a little bit of your freedom for the greater good of the public,” he told Bajan Vibes. (IMC)
