God Blesss finds his purpose with dancehall gospel

Singjay God Blesss didn't always sing gospel music. The 25-year-old wrote dancehall songs before getting baptised in 2017, but it never sat well with him.

"Mi did try two secular music but, when I was writing it, I have this empty feeling something was missing, so mi just scrap it," God Blesss told THE WEEKEND STAR. "When I start writing gospel music, there was this drive and exciting feeling and I knew this thing was for me."

Interestingly, he calls himself a dancehall gospel artiste.

"I love dancehall rhythms and the vibe, it's my kind of thing but the lyrics aren't my thing," he explained. "They love put gospel artistes in the reggae bracket alone and I see myself more than that 'cause, as you listen to my songs, it's mostly dancehall style and flow but the lyrics are clean and speak about God."

His current release, His Love, produced by Sherwayne Music, embodies this. God Blesss said the track has been getting positive feedback.

"Father God just download the song in my spirit. I write it in less than half an hour," he said. "He said, 'Son, I want the people to hear this message'. You know, with corona[virus], everybody a go through dem struggles and you have a lot of people out there that are depressed and going through challenges, and this song is telling them that God loves them and his love is unconditional ... ."

This Sunday, he will be premiering the music video for Jesus Take the Wheel, produced by Christ Driven Productions. The track aims to remind people to put God first in all things.

"The intro is kinda harsh but it's reality. I say, 'You have some people life weh need fi write-off because dem a try run dem life demselves. Dem need fi know the driver, Jesus Christ ...'. I want the message overall to get out there. Once the message get out there and people understand the message the right way, the song will do great things," he said.

God Blesss, whose given name is Romaine Thomas, always knew he'd be in the music industry, though his first love was playing the drums. Growing up in Spanish Town, St Catherine, he recalled watching artistes like Goddy Goddy and DJ Nicholas on YouTube and thinking, 'I can do this, this looks easy'. His debut release, Psalm 91, came in February, and he has since released songs like Heaven, Wired to Win and Lavish (with Sherwayne and Lyrical Miracle).

"My music journey has had its ups and downs but I know the purpose that is on my life ... ." he said. "Gospel music does not make a lot of money like the secular but we have to do what we have to do and keep on doing God's work and hold on to the purpose that God has for us."