01Profile
A Protoje Photo
Protoje
Artist — Jamaica
03Interview
Photo: Nickii Kane
Name, where are you from?
My name is Protoje, I’m from Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica.
What do you do?
I do reggae.
Describe your style in three words:
Reserved, joyous and grateful.
Name someone who influenced you when you were younger?
Haile Selassie.
What music defines the teenage you?
Hip-hop, for sure. Jay-Z, Tupac, Nas, BIG.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Haile Selassie. Or Amy Winehouse. She’s a big inspiration too.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
My mum - Lorna Bennett. She had two back-to-back number ones in Jamaica in the '70s but gave it up to study law and start a family. It’s something I’ll always be grateful for. She’s what made me into who I am today and the reason I’ve always been so determined to succeed when it comes to music.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
A song from your favourite album?
'World-A-Reggae', Ini Kamoze.
A song you wish you had written?
'Welcome to Jamrock', Damien Marley.
A British icon who inspires your sound?
There are so many, but I’d have to say The Beatles.
Best song to bring people together?
'So Much Trouble in the World', Bob Marley.
Best love song of all time?
Dennis Brown, 'Love Has Found Its Way'.
What’s been your all-time favourite gig?
I played at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado, and it was incredible. Did you mean one of my gigs?
Is there an artist you like that people may not expect?
I love Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die album.
If you had to be on the line-up with any two bands/artists in history, who would it be?
That’s a hard one. Let’s go with Black Uhuru and The Beatles. I’d love to have seen them live.
What upcoming artists are you listening to right now?
Lila Iké.
03Interview
Photo: Nickii Kane
Name, where are you from?
My name is Protoje, I’m from Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica.
What do you do?
I do reggae.
Describe your style in three words:
Reserved, joyous and grateful.
Name someone who influenced you when you were younger?
Haile Selassie.
What music defines the teenage you?
Hip-hop, for sure. Jay-Z, Tupac, Nas, BIG.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Haile Selassie. Or Amy Winehouse. She’s a big inspiration too.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
My mum - Lorna Bennett. She had two back-to-back number ones in Jamaica in the '70s but gave it up to study law and start a family. It’s something I’ll always be grateful for. She’s what made me into who I am today and the reason I’ve always been so determined to succeed when it comes to music.
04Playlist Notes
A song from your favourite album?
'World-A-Reggae', Ini Kamoze.
A song you wish you had written?
'Welcome to Jamrock', Damien Marley.
A British icon who inspires your sound?
There are so many, but I’d have to say The Beatles.
Best song to bring people together?
'So Much Trouble in the World', Bob Marley.
Best love song of all time?
Dennis Brown, 'Love Has Found Its Way'.
What’s been your all-time favourite gig?
I played at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado, and it was incredible. Did you mean one of my gigs?
Is there an artist you like that people may not expect?
I love Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die album.
If you had to be on the line-up with any two bands/artists in history, who would it be?
That’s a hard one. Let’s go with Black Uhuru and The Beatles. I’d love to have seen them live.
What upcoming artists are you listening to right now?
Lila Iké.