Reggae superstar Shaggy is currently hosting the second annual Island Music Conference in his native Jamaica. However, that didn’t deter the “Boombastic” hitmaker from catching a plane Saturday night out of Kingston for a spectacular one night only performance alongside Sting and Billy Joel as they kicked off their co-headlining summer shows.
Joel, whose album “52nd Street” made history as the first CD release in 1982, warmly introduced Sting, hailing him as one of his all-time favorite musicians. Together, they mesmerized the audience with a rendition of The Police’s timeless hit, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”
During Sting’s set, Shaggy joined him on stage, treating the 75,000-strong crowd at Raymond James Stadium to a rendition of “Englishman in New York” from the “44/876 Super Deluxe Edition.”
Just hours prior, Shaggy was toasting at the Courtleigh Auditorium, free-styling alongside Wyclef Jean and Ghanaian Dancehall artist Stonebwoy at the Island Rock Concert.
Following his electrifying cameo with Sting, Shaggy promptly flew back to Jamaica to resume his duties as chairman of the Island Music Conference, which concludes today.
“I’m already back,” Shaggy told WMV Sunday morning. “I am headed to the conference.”
Later, during Joel’s set in Tampa, Sting returned the favor, leading the performance of “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”
This dynamic collaboration is just the beginning, with the duo scheduled for four more shows together this year in San Diego, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Las Vegas. Additionally, Joel has lined up stadium shows with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart, alongside wrapping up his iconic monthly residency at Madison Square Garden.
2024 has proven to be a remarkable year for Joel, marked by the release of his new single “Turn the Lights Back On” and a triumphant return to the Grammy stage after 22 years.
Watch Sting and Shaggy in Tampa below:
