Valiant is the latest dancehall artist to sign a recording contract with Sony Music U.K.’s Epic Records, according to sources close to the matter. The deejay, who burst onto the scene in November 2022 after a video posted on TikTok where he is heard saying “Kotch E Hat A Lie” went viral in Jamaica, released his first EP under the deal on December 18, 2023 titled “A Gift From Me to You.”
The six-track project has charted in 17 countries on Apple Music, including peak positions at #4 in Dominica, #8 in Jamaica and in Saint Kitts and Nevis, #9 in Guyana, #11 in Antigua and Barbuda, #16 in St. Vincent and The Grenadines, #23 in Anguilla, #27 in Turks and Caicos, #30 in Trinidad and Tobago, #37 in St. Lucia, #44 in Belize, #54 in Barbados, #57 in the Cayman Islands, #65 in Bermuda, #74 in Malawi, #86 in The Bahamas, and #93 in Gambia. On iTunes, the EP lands at #16 in Antigua and Barbuda.
Producers on the EP include ZIMI Records/NoworNever (Polygamy), Shynal Music/Dipomat Records (Search), DJ MAC, Curt “Crash Dummy” White (BUDDUM), Attomatic Records, Dan Sky Records (Birkin), and his management, Romeich Entertainment, produced the track “Set Me Fi.”
Sony Music UK posted a congratulatory post with the Jamaican singer on December 16 for his MOBO 2024 nomination for “Best Caribbean Music Act.”
The Dunce Check deejay has deleted all the post on his Instagram, signaling a new era for the Dimplmats artist who was listed as an artist to watch in 2023 by WMV. Throughout the year Valiant, real name Raheem Bowes released several Apple Music Jamaica chart topping singles including “Mad Out” an “Expensive.”
The trappa gospel deejay who graduated from Oberlin High School had 7 of the top 10 songs on Apple Music Jamaica by the end of last year and he has held chart dominance YouTube in Jamaica since then.
Former Head of Digital Streams at Pandora Diego Herrera had also predicted Valiant to be one to watch this year in an interview on TVJ‘s Daytime Live.
Then in July he released a new 17 track independent EP titled “4:14” July 14, topped Apple Music Albums chart in Jamaica.
In recent times, other Jamaican artists who signed with Sony Music UK or affiliated Sony Music labels include Grammy winner Koffee in 2019, Protoje along with his In.Digg.Nation label stars and MOBO award winner Skillibeng.
Protoje has since left the label as an artist, according to sources, retaining ownership of his masters. However, his artist Lila Ike is still signed with RCA Records and is set to release her debut album in 2024, according to individuals close to the matter.
In 2022, Protoje’s sixth studio album and second solo album for RCA Records/In.Digg.Nation Collective, “Third Time’s A Charm,” earned him his second GRAMMY nomination for Best Reggae Album, following his 2018 album “A Matter Of Time.”
In the early 1990s, Sony Music’s affiliated labels Columbia and Epic Records entered the Jamaican music market and signed acts like Super Cat, Tony Rebel, Mad Cobra, Shabba Ranks(Epic), Diana King, Ini Kamoze, and more, resulting in some of the biggest Billboard chart-toppers in dancehall. Most notably Ini Kamoze’s Hotstepper from the album “Stir It Up” (Columbia) was the first dancehall song to peak at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
According to the website, The RCA Label Group UK is a flagship recording label division of Sony Music Entertainment, encompassing RCA Records, RCA Victor, and Since ’93.
The company has existed since 1919 and owns the catalog for artists like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Nina Simone and Diana Ross.
Valiant has recorded an unreleased song with Chris Brown according to sources and he joins a current crop of top artist on Sony Music UK including 21 Savage, Adele, Alicia Keys, Camilla Cabello, Beyoncé and more.
