Jay Shephard’s ‘Feelings’

Bahamian singer Jay Shephard recently released a poetic new song, “Feelings,” produced by Trinidadian Re Qwest Music, highlighting several genres, such as reggae, dancehall and R&B.

According to Dayna Smith, of the Brooklyn-based entertainment promotion company, PlaybookMG, the ballad is “an ode to female” that describes “deep feelings that equate to more than just sex.”

“It’s a love song inspired by my growth in relationships and intimacy,” said Shephard, stating that the project is part of the upcoming album, The Gemini, inspired by his astrological zodiac sign.

Shephard is also an entrepreneur, operating his record label, Good Vybz Nation Entertainment, from greater Miami.

Shephard said he takes his commitment to his work to heart, pointing to life experiences as his muse.

Smith told Caribbean Life that Shephard was 19 years old, when he “nearly died after being shot in the face by a friend and clung to life but lost his left eye.

“His music career came to light with the onset of the healing process related to the horrific accident,” she said. “The incident occurred while Jay was still in college, and he went back to the Bahamas to recuperate and do some soul searching.”

Smith said Shephard’s newfound talent inspired him to “get in touch with his spiritual side and write a gospel song.”

“A friend in Nassau, Bahamas, had a home studio, and, for the most part, everyone that heard the music was very supportive,” she said. “After receiving great feedback, he realized he needed to learn how to tone his voice.

“Nowadays, Jay likes to write songs late at night or in the wee hours, somewhere between 10:00 pm and 3:00 am,” Smith added. “That’s when his creative juices get flowing, and the beat usually steers the song and the emotion behind it.”

Smith said hits like “No Surrender”, “Real One” and “Miss You” came about through working with Grammy Award-winning producer Troyton Rami (Black Shadow Records).

Notably, in 2020, Shephard was awarded a Billboard