New music videos in the pipeline

Leighton Levy, Gleaner Writer

Chris Martin plans to release a number of videos as he starts to bring the curtains down on what has been an extremely busy and productive year. Just last week, he jetted off to Connecticut in the United States for the latest in what seems to be an unending schedule of show dates.

Since July, Mr Chill Spot has had very little time to 'chill', having performed in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. There was also a six-show run in Japan which he believes is the highlight of the summer.

Martin has been a household name in the reggae community in Japan ever since he released his first album Christopher Martin just over two years ago. He explains that since that time songs like Take My Wings and Real Friends helped lay the foundation before Paper Loving came along and 'kicked the doors down' setting the stage for his later releases Cheater's Prayer and his most recent success Chill Spot to do well in that Asian market.

"There are about nine songs that you know people know and that they are singing along to," Martin said of his fans in Japan.

The tour that ran from August 22-31 included dates in Tokyo, Aichi, Shizuoka, Kawasaki and Kanagawa.

55-minute show closer

In Aichi, Martin performed before a crowd estimated at between 12 and 15,000 arm-waving Japanese fans. He closed the show with a solid 55-minute set during which the predominantly female crowd not only waved, but jumped, danced and sang to his songs. He was like a conductor onstage leading a mass Christopher Martin celebration.

The 2005 Digicel Rising Star winner revealed that the Japanese are very loyal to their language and culture.

So it is really special for him when he hears a totally Japanese audience singing along 'word for word' to his songs in English.

"I am really proud to see how they gravitate to my music. It makes you want to find more hit songs," he said.

"After each show I felt like I didn't fly 13 hours from New York for nothing."

When he returns from the United States, Martin has a couple of show dates in the Caribbean, after which he intends to turn his attention to producing a number of videos, one of which will see a valuable family member play a role. The video for the song Mama, which is on the Perfect Key rhythm, is expected out soon and is to feature a small role for his mother, Cheeny.

Martin also plans to put out a video for his song Prettiest Thing under Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner's Heart of Love label. No timetable has been set for this video yet, he says.

Then, as if two videos are not enough, the singer, who recently became a dad, plans to release a medley video for a few dancehall songs including Na Na Na, Push Back and Hotta Dan Dem.

All these videos are being done with the specific intention of helping Martin maintain a presence here in Jamaica as he continues to ramp up his travels overseas, breaking into even more new markets.