Valiant Talks First Acoustic Performance

Dancehall artist Valiant made a striking impression with his first acoustic performance at Kingston’s TacBar restaurant on Wednesday night, diving into a new experience for both himself and his fans.

The Speed Off deejay shared his excitement, gratitude, and some exclusive photos from the event with DancehallMag, highlighting the unexpected turnout and the overwhelmingly positive reception.

“It was amazing, it was great, the acoustic performance for the first time was like mind-blowing and crazy,” he said. “It was acoustic so I expected a limited number of people to come out but people came out just to see what I was capable of and they were totally supportive. It was crazy, it was a good vibe, there was no dull moments.”

Valiant said the performance, which included renditions of tracks like Lumbah, Mad Out and Expensive, was a result of hours of preparation and practice.

“I did a lot of  rehearsals for the show. I did a lot of organizing knowing which song to start the set, knowing what to say and everything was like the first time so I had to practice and rehearse basically, it basically was just a vibe and I made sure to let it not feel like an assignment, it was a vibe you know,” he said.

Despite his reputation for electrifying larger crowds at events like Reggae Sumfest, Valiant believes acoustic sets offer a crucial, intimate connection with his audience. “I mean, the acoustic vibes mek me get up close and personal with my fans and really vibe with them so its more subtle. With a larger crowd like Sumfest you know say dat a high energy and excitement which is good. But its hard to compare cause there is a time and place for everything and I like both,” he said.

He stressed the importance of artists showing their raw, unfiltered talent, free from the studio enhancements, to truly connect and share with their fans.

“It’s very important to artists to do acoustics to me, it’s a type of vibe whereby normally we hear the upbeat but the audience would like to see if the artist can level it down to a level and be more subtle, so to me it’s important for artists to do acoustics and work with a band because a lot of people hear you on audio but they want to hear you live, raw, no auto tune, nothing so it’s very important,” he emphasized.

“I did a cover of Romain Virgo to start off my set Love Problem, Oh My God, the people dem never expect me to sing like that and have vocals like that so that was really surprising for them , it was crazy so that was a memorable moment,” he said.

One of the highlights of the evening came when Valiant joined forces with fellow dancehall artist Stalk Ashley for their single Narcissistic.

Adding to the excitement, Valiant welcomed rising artist Armanii to the stage. Known for his infectious track Dunce Barbie and more, Armanii brought his unique flair to the event, further elevating the energy in the room. Not to be outdone, Zidii, the mastermind behind the viral sensation Formula, made a guest appearance, captivating the audience with his charismatic stage presence and delivery.

Further elevating the acoustic experience, Valiant was backed by a talented band comprising decorated touring musicians who have played for the likes of Romain Virgo, Koffee, and others.

Reflecting on the evening, Valiant expressed his gratitude to his fans and fellow artists, stating, “Performing acoustically for the first time at TacBar was an incredible experience. The energy from the crowd was electric, and sharing the stage with Stalk Ashley, Armanii, Zidii, and the talented band was a true honour. I can’t wait to continue this journey and share more music with you all.”