Skygrass’ bold new chapter

Reggae recording artiste and producer Skygrass is entering one of the most exciting and expansive chapters of his career — one where music, love, culture and storytelling collide. Fresh off the release of his latest album, Walking on Water, in October, Skygrass shows no signs of slowing down. Between live performances, festival appearances and community-driven relief efforts, the multifaceted creative is firmly in motion, with his sights set on both local impact and global reach.

“I’ve just been staying busy,” Skygrass told Living. “More shows and more music for the people. We just dropped the album on October 10, and we just did the Rum Festival show. We’re still very involved in relief efforts across the island, supporting as many of our fellow Jamaicans as we can.” For Skygrass, the work extends far beyond the stage, as his artistry is deeply rooted in community, culture and purpose.

But while the music continues to flow, Skygrass is also stepping into a new creative space — this time, in front of the camera. The reggae artiste and his fiancée, Canada-born comedian and recording artiste Nicole Arbour, are currently filming a reality-style docuseries with a US-based network, We The Studios, that offers an intimate look at their life together here in Jamaica.

The upcoming series promises a blend of romance, humour and cultural immersion. Focused mainly against the vibrant backdrop of Jamaica, it follows Skygrass and Arbour as they navigate love, family, creativity and cultural differences, while building a life together across continents.

“The series features Nicole and myself here in Jamaica,” Skygrass explained. “She’s originally Canadian, living in the US, so there’s a lot of cultural contrast. It’s about us coming together, showing the immersion of the cultures and creating a bigger experience for both ourselves and our families, which share different backgrounds. She’s a comedian and a recording artiste like myself, so there’s always something happening.”

Their love story, like many great ones, began unexpectedly and organically through music. The pair first met in Kingston during what Skygrass describes as a “very random experience”. Arbour happened to be at Jangas Soundbar looking for a guitarist for a song. Skygrass, coincidentally, rode in on his bike that same day.

“We were introduced by mutual friends. They said, ‘Hey, you know that guy? He’s a bad guitarist from Jamaica,’” Skygrass recalled with a laugh. “Next thing you know, I’m producing the song for her. We started working together, then I drafted a plan…and magic happened. And here we are now, a few years later, engaged, looking to get married early next year.”

It was the authenticity of their creative, cultural and deeply personal journey that caught the attention of We The Studios. The network saw an opportunity to document a modern love story unfolding in real time, anchored in Jamaica’s rich cultural landscape.

“The story between us was so compelling that they wanted to connect and follow us on this journey,” Skygrass said. “As Nicole becomes more immersed in Jamaican culture —basically becoming a brand new Jamaican, I’m right there helping her navigate it all. We’re highlighting the whole fun and joy of the real experiences that we’ve been having. And, we’ve been doing a lot of very interesting activities, which is honestly just the way our life is all the time.”

At its core, the series is a ‘day-in-the-life’ experience — raw, unscripted and full of heart. Viewers can expect moments that spotlight reggae music, Jamaican cuisine, carnival culture, language, humour and the small, beautiful nuances of island life.

“Setting it here in Jamaica is just another beautiful opportunity to show the world Jamaica,” Skygrass noted. “We’re introducing the US audience to things they may have never seen before — our daily lives, introducing different parts of the language and Patois translations, and all the wonderful things we do.”

The series is slated for release in February next year and will be available on platforms such as Apple TV and Roku.

o’brian.wynter@gleanerjm.com