About this artist
Of all the artists to emerge in recent years from Jamaican Reggae culture, Sevad has to be one of the more interesting. Musically diverse, lyrically gifted and with a talent for production that is inventive and intuitive – his journey to this point is equally as fascinating as the artist himself.
Sevad, given name Steven Davis, was born in 1977 in Jamaica. His mother Margaret raised Sevad on her own – and tried to give her son a comfortable life. But poverty was never to far from the family’s door. Yet still, Margaret was a committed church-goer, being the leader of her local choir. She taught Sevad how to sing and play the piano. He calls her his “musical inspiration at home”.
His early years were filled with music. His mother was a fan of Soul, and Sevad grew up with the sounds of Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, and everything Motown.
Then, Sevad began listening to foundation Reggae artists – from Bob Marley to Dennis Brown. He also actively sought out the Reggae community in Jamaica. Sevad was particularly drawn to the late, great Garnett Silk – often attending his shows. But the tragic and untimely passing of this legend in 1994 made Sevad more determined to pursue his musical dreams.
2014 saw Sevad release his debut album, Everyday Is Like Valentine. Its first single Addicted attracted a lot of attention, getting airplay across Jamaica and beyond, and seeing its accompanying video premiered on prime-time Jamaican show the Entertainment Report.
But Sevad’s pivotal moment was his 2020 album, Black Man’s Government. It saw the artist branch out well beyond Reggae, into numerous other genres inspired by it. The album also delivered searing political and social messages. Mr Topple from Pauzeradio said of the project:
“Black Man’s Government is a potent, conscious affair, taking numerous genres and styles and mashing them up to create an inspired project... [it] makes for fascinating listening... a hidden gem of an album”.
After the critical success of Black Man’s Government, The Message EP followed – further showcasing Sevad’s artistic growth and talents. And now, in 2022 he is set to release his brand-new album The Revolution.
Mr Topple said of the project:
“It’s musically exquisite and groundbreaking, lyrically damning and with the production and engineering aural aesthetics of a major label. The Revolution is Sevad’s seminal work – elevating his status to one of the most exciting talents to appear in recent years. A force to watch – and an album to immerse yourself in”.
There’s no doubting Sevad is one of the more exciting artists of recent times. His continued musical growth coupled with his intuitive lyricism have seen him break new ground both personally and professionally. He is a creative force to be reckoned with in the music industry – and is surely set to continue to enamour audiences worldwide.