New York, NY – Singer and songwriter Elijah Rocq is anticipating new career success when he drops his latest single, There for You, on all major streaming platforms later this fall.
The new single, described by Rocq as “Dancehall Afro-Soul infused with elements of reggae,” is produced by Rocq himself and was recorded with Atlanta-based Red Eye Media Studios.
In an era of female empowerment and greater appreciation for the importance of women in our personal lives and the wider society, Rocq believes the timing of the single is especially significant.
“Well, I have always been a romantic at heart,” says Rocq, born in Brooklyn as the sixth of nine children.
“But even though these lyrics speak very much about how a particular woman grabs my attention and blows my mind, I think the song speaks to a wider appreciation of the female gender- their beauty, strength, mystery, and ability to capture and hold our attention. I look at the incredible summer we have had with our Reggae Girlz at the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament and even what our Jamaican ladies just achieved at the recently concluded World Athletics Championships held in Budapest- and I’m just so very proud of them. So this is a love song dedicated to all the women who continue to inspire us to be there for them and support them in all that they do.”
The song marks the latest milestone on a musical journey that began for Rocq several decades ago. He grew up in his large family, first in Brooklyn and subsequently in Jamaica, after his mother married his Jamaican stepfather and moved there when Elijah was ten.
His mother’s love for music and her desire to share it with her children led to her giving them musical instruments and turning her family into a band. Elijah would listen to his mother sing while they played and decided at an early age that he would make singing his profession.
“I can hardly remember a time when there wasn’t music playing in the house,” he recalls, “And I grew up listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, The Chi-Lites, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Steel Pulse,just to name a few. When my family moved to Jamaica, we settled in a small district in the hills of St. Ann. I can remember running around barefooted, catching fish and fetching water and appreciating the natural habitat of the land, where there were always melodious sounds from the water, the wind, and the chirping birds. Those natural sounds brought sweet melodies to my ears, and as a result of that, even today, I compose my music psychologically.”
His love of singing led him to performances at hotels, family outings, weddings, and ultimately, to forming his first music group, Access, with some of his friends during his teenage years. Along with another member of Access, he eventually formed the group Two Soul and, working out of UB40’s stUB40’sn Oracabessa, St. Mary, released two songs- Freedom and Kumbaya, of which he remains very proud.
An invitation to join the Black Male Band from Kingston led to an opportunity to sing at the 2006 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and, fortuitously, at National Heroes Park with the great Dean Fraser. Then, he received the phone call that would ultimately alter the course of his life and career.
“After seeing me perform, “Dean Fraser, the leader of the band Live Wya, called me and asked if I would join them as their lead vocalist. It would be a life-changing opportunity because after accepting their offer, I toured all over the USA, Europe, and Japan-literally seeing the world for the first time. I had the honor of sharing the stage with legends such as Marcia Griffins, Sanchez, Buju Banton, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Sly & Robbie, and Gr’gory Is’acs, to name just a few. Working with Gregory Isaacs was almost surreal because I grew up hearing my mother play his music in our house, not knowing that I would eventually meet him and tour with him in later years. And so I’ve always felt the need to pay respect to my mother for her love of music, which gave me my passion and career.”
In subsequent years, Rocq has succeeded as a solo artist” with songs such as We Must Go On, Guess You Didn’t Know, and Tell Me What You Want, released last year and distributed by V-pal Records.
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