Jamaican artist Yaksta has experienced a series of successes since he began his music career in 2016. His growth has been exponential and the name ‘Yaksta’ rapidly became a commonplace amongst the Jamaican public. Drawing on reggae and dancehall music, with a modern twist, his sound is infinitely creative and elusive; difficult to categorise yet always infused with an innovative flair. It is this versatility perhaps, that has garnered such success, both within his home country and across the globe. Yaksta’s recently completed US tour was a triumphant assertion of his appeal and he hopes to continue the trend with a prospective 2023 European tour, promoting his upcoming album ‘22’.
For Yaksta, music is not a job but a ‘destiny’; he did not have to seek his career, it sought him. Describing himself as ‘music incarnate’ suggests the way he radiates rhythm and melody, becoming at one with the music. This aligns with modern dancehall in which lyrics are layered over riddims; the DJ provides the vocals and consequently carries the song. However, it was not all fame, popularity and ease for Yaksta. He experienced hardship and financial difficulties when growing up in St. Mary Parish, Jamaica. Writing songs was his outlet and solace, in the same way music is for many people. Even now, the artist has expressed that he doesn’t create music for the awards or acclaim and his humility is testament to his past experiences. Despite constant growth, Yaksta remains grounded by his home and upbringing which gives an added allure to the artists success.
Dancehall began in the 1940s in areas like inner city Kingston, where uptown dances were not accessible to all. It was played by local sound systems and characterised by innovation, fluidity and openness; dancehall could reach where radio couldn’t. It is therefore deeply interwoven with Jamaica’s culture and history and Yaksta’s international reach brings these important connotations to a wider audience. Some of the major cultural imperatives of dancehall are the malleability of the self, the construction of external appearance and making the unseen visible.
Yaksta’s said, ‘authenticity is what many people lack in these times. Because everybody tries to be true to what society projects onto them to be and not who they actually are.’ These central ideas to the dancehall genre converge in Yaksta’s music which explores the tensions between authenticity and popularity; between his roots and his experimentalism.
Yaksta released a single, ‘Success’, on 2nd December 2022 that explores the hard work behind his achievements. Despite music being his ‘destiny’, Yaksta also stresses the effort and sacrifice required to become successful in his and any career; something he has spoken about in several interviews. This is not the last you’ll hear of Yaksta. He released his newest single, ‘Alchemist’, on 27 January 2023, a track from his greatly anticipated album, ‘22’. The album is to be released towards the end of February 2023. Yaksta will tour Europe in the summer of 2023 to promote the album. Yaksta’s musical journey so far has been formidable and he promises to continue revolutionising the music scene while retaining his historical connections with Jamaica. Yaksta’s music is a universal language that speaks to something more than words can.
Look out for much more from Yaksta. For up-to-date information, follow Yaksta’s on his socials.
Yaksta on Instagram
Yaksta on Facebook
Yaksta on YouTube
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