Emerging reggae artiste ManyLights is mourning the death of a close friend who died suddenly at the start of the year, inspiring him to do a single, Fly Away, to honour his fallen friend.
“Buck was an incredible human being, full of eclectic charm. He was someone that I wanted to take with me on this music journey. I wrote how I felt in the height of my grieving. I didn’t want him to die in vain and I thought the best way to honor him is through song as music is what we connected about most. I was crying through the writing of the entire song,” he shared.
It is a bitter-sweet time for ManyLights as personal success mixed with personal loss. The singer had finally secured the release date for his first major single in January when Buck died two days later.
“The lesson is that you have to chase your dreams because you never know which day is your last, and you have to be able to manoeuvre and persevere through loss. That’s why I wrote the song in a way that anyone who has lost someone can relate and use it to reminisce and heal. I am getting very positive feedback,” the artiste whose real name is DuRae Wilkinson, said.
ManyLights is also amping up the promotion of a single, ‘Rampa’, produced by producer-artiste Anthony Red Rose, which will be released this Friday, February 16th 2024 on the Awesome Sauce rhythm project which also features Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Anthony Red Rose, Bounty Killer and other music heavyweights.
“There are other emerging artists on the album but I’m the only one being released as a single amongst guys I grew up listening to. Yes I am very excited, I give God thanks everyday,” he said.
Wilkinson aka ManyLights was born into music. His dad, Delroy Leo Wilkinson was a recording studio engineer, reggae producer and artiste.
He fell in love with music during high school, dropping mixtapes. When he left high school, he experimented with other artforms. He became a professional photographer, videographer with his own company ManyLights Photography & Film Inc. He also took up abstract painting and amassed a collection of over 500 pieces of artwork. He learned to play guitar and how to play with a band.
A self taught marketing extraordinaire who loves to read, ManyLights also produced and acted in a couple short films. His first one called “Happiness” won the award for best local film in the Toronto Urban Film Festival in 2013. He then followed up with a film called “Give” .
During the middle of the pandemic, DuRae moved to Jamaica into a half built family home in 2021 to escape the stress and chaos happening in Canada, eventually getting his citizenship and passport.
DuRae’s name means ManyLights and that’s the name he uses for his stage name, which he believes his name to be a reflection of all of us.
“We are all many lights, many bright and gifted people in our own ways. I have many gifts and talents to showcase to the world,” he said.
ManyLights is banking on the promotion of the single to create the buzz to move his career to the next level.
“I am looking forward to the world getting to know me as a person and as an artist. I am going to take it day by day. Each move always opens new doors. I hope to work with more of the greats in the industry and make a forever mark…I have lots of music to share,” he said.
