Zebulun — the man behind the music

The artiste, Zebulun, is all about positive vibes. The song, “Better Will Come”, encourages listeners to hold on and trust the Almighty because no matter what is happening to you in your life today, better will come.

“The song was an inspiration from God,” he explained. “It’s about the situations we find ourselves in, it’s about life and the things that are happening in our country. No matter how much you suffer, there’s another man suffering too.”

Zebulun began writing his own lyrics and chanting in junior secondary school - with the boys and sometimes for the girls - but his words always had a positive and/or conscious message. He said he “picked up” his positive reggae from favourite boyhood artistes such as Bob Marley, Fred Locks, Bonny Wailer, Peter Tosh, and Jacob Miller.

“I spent all my free time chanting,” he told Newsday. “It brought joy to me but I never thought that I could have a career singing.”

He started to take his music seriously after he completed his secondary education.

He met Anton Chase of Lawless Entertainment who introduced him to Angelo Pantin, formerly of Studio 53. His lyrics and Pantin’s riddims came together to create his first recorded song, “Fake Love” and his first release, “Burn Prostitution”in 2006. The two songs picked up moderate rotation on radio stations which encouraged Zebulun to press on.

Since then, Zebulun has continued to record his music and has opened for several popular reggae artistes such as Capleton, Chuck Fender and Queen Ifrika. His new single, “Mesmerize” is steadily increasing in popularity. “Better Will Come” is getting rave reviews in New Zealand, Germany and Sweden. He is also about to headline his own tour in Minnesota, US and Tortola, US Virgin Islands.

His self-titled, ten-track album, Zebulun, is in stores and can be found at Cash?, Highway Records in Curepe, Tru Valu and Mystic Hemp in Woodbrook. It is selling out at several locations and yet he describes the album as a “prelude to what’s in store”.

One of those things to come is the Imperial Council — a collection of local reggae artistes including Zebulun, Revelation, Jr B, Jah Melody, Jah Velo and others. Together they hope to collaborate, form new musical ties and take reggae in TT to higher heights.

As a son of the southland, he also wished to “big up” everyone in Marabella; his new management, Isaacs Promotions and his ten-month old daughter “Princess Makada.”