By Awa DK. Conteh
Gabriel Jayon, AKA Worldwide Artist, is a Gambian dancehall artist born in Bakau. He is known for his creative ways of expressing his uniqueness through music and playing piano since he was in primary school.
In an exclusive interview with Gambia Daily Life & Entertainment, Gabriel Jayon explained that he started his music career at the age of 6, and at 11, he started singing using the piano and later on garage band writing and creating songs in high school.
The young artist said he had his first recording equipment as a kid, which made it easy for him to take his craft to another level. At 17, he got into music production ( beat making ) and was able to make his own beats and learning how to become a dj as well, he said at 19 he wrote songs, beats, and gigs as a DJ.
Jayon further explained that he lived in The Gambia for six years, then travelled to Italy, in and stayed there for two and a half years where he did some part of primary school. He later moved to Milan, where he completed primary and secondary school.
He noted that after his secondary school, he moved to Swiss, where he went to a university in Milan studying music mainly on beat making, sound designer and engineering.
Gabriel Jayon stated that he draws his musical inspiration from his everyday life and experience. He said his father has stayed in The Gambia for the past 19 years doing business. He continued that his father being a Gambian gives him much pleasure as a Gambian and he is proud of that.
He explained that he is into a project called the Worldwide Project, a project which is a vision of what Gambian music/ industry could be in the next years to create a bridge between The Gambia and Italy/Switzerland. He added that the mission is to get Gambian artists to perform and connect with the European crowd.
Jayon explained that his double identity between two different cultures is sometimes traumatizing because when he is in The Gambia, many refer to him as a foreigner, oblivious of the fact that he is a Gambian by birth.
‘’Seeing people calling me foreigner not only with words, but also discriminating me, I hope to change that with music,’’ he said.
The young artist stated that he is officially bringing his afro music in The Gambia as he is working with people like Singhated aka Freaky Joe and The Gambia music industry.
He noted that he is gifted with singing voice, which continues to attract more fans each time he mounts the mike, and that his musical experience and talent has been exceptional.
Jayon revealed that his new EP cover is coming out with beats that he has been working on.
He concluded that ‘’representing your country outside is a different ranking and as a Gambian’’.
