Vershon’s New Album ‘Only One EP’ Out Now
Dancehall artist Vershon, the Queffa Boss, released his new EP called Only One yesterday.
“This is not my first EP. I did an EP independently in 2017 called One More Day. So now, working with FaNaTiX. It’s new. Signing with Parlophone is also new because I’ve never signed a record deal. So that’s why I decided why not just put out an EP instead of one song so it’s a body of music,” Vershon said in a release.
Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. Vershon signed with the German-British label in late 2019. The company is owned by Warner Music UK.
“Warner Music is an established international label, so that is an excellent move for me. I can see where things can happen internationally for my career,” he said.
The EP is powered by its third release, Stick By Me, which was co-written by rapper-singer-actor-producer-songwriter Plan B who has been a very big inspiration in the UK scene. Last year, Vershon released Reality , where he teamed up with Chip, who is a major grime rapper in the U.K. The latter, the second release from the EP, Reality, was released in October last year and made the BBC 1Xtra playlist in the United Kingdom.
Vershon seems to be making a major effort to build synergy between UK and Caribbean artists.
“Plan B was in Jamaica in 2019 with the FaNaTiX. They were in Montego Bay and the FaNaTiX asks me to come and make some music with them. So I went. I didn’t know who Plan B was, the FaNaTiX introduced me to him, and I invited him into the sessions. It was a real vibe and energy. It felt like we knew each other a long time, years ago, because we’re both on the same mission. So, yeah, that was just a vibe one, an energy,” he said.
Given that the music industry has been ravaged by the global COVID-19 pandemic shuttering clubs and venues, and cancelling tours, some may view Vershon’s decision to release an EP as a major gamble given that he cannot tour to support the EP and help defray expenses.
There’s no boundary with music. I can’t tell you what will work and what’s not going to work. So it is a gamble. We just have to take the chance and hopefully, it works out in our good favour,” an optimistic Vershon said.
The EP which consists of six songs by Parlophone Records Limited T/A Saint Music Reality features the abovementioned Sticky By Me and Reality, plus tracks such as Whisper featuring Trillary Banks, Thingz featuring Busy Signal and Shake It Up featuring Y Cee. All songs combined push the album to sleek, highly listenable 19 minutes run time.
Vershon, whose real name is Adrian Kemar Brown, is from Cockburn Pen in Kingston 11. He attended Greater Portmore High but dropped out during the 10th grade. He later attended the HEART Trust/NSTA where he studied electrical engineering but music was his main focus.
Discovered by veteran deejay Mr G, Vershon got the break when he signed with producer and musician Christopher Birch. His biggest hits include the 2015 chart-topper Inna Real Life, Barbie Doll, Boom, Ruff Up The World, On and Off Switch, Used to Hungry, Mercy A God and Outside.
Parlophone Records boasts top-selling acts in the past such as The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, Queen, Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue, Tina Turner, Swedish pop act Roxette and The Pet Shop Boys.
Montego Bay-born singer Beverly Knight is also part of the label’s roster.
Stream the Only One EP below.