Jodi Clarke, aka The Liberian Boy, says he is poised to become a household name not only in the African diaspora but also amongst non-Africans. And he might be right. His vocal delivery seems perfectly suited to his chosen genres, R&B and Afro-pop, his music and energetic performances appeal to Reggae, Soca and R&B fans alike, and his international fan base is growing. The culture press is taking note, too: Style & Prestige Magazine called him the "Next Big Thing" and BeeAfricanMedia referred to him as "Africa’s Number 1 emerging R&B/Afro- Pop artist"; no doubt, more accolades will follow when his new album drops.
Jodi and his family moved from Liberia to the Ivory Coast to escape the civil war in 1990. Music became both a tool to escape the sadness of having to leave home and a way to rise above adversity in what was a difficult period. As his desire to pursue a career in music grew, he ventured from Africa to Europe to cultivate his talent. Performing wherever he could, Jodi began to amass a following on both continents.
His first album Jodi.com featuring hit singles like Liberian Girl, Think About You and Dime Piece earned great reviews. Commercial success with the album Floating left fans impatiently awaiting his next project.
The recent release of Swaggeristic signals the end of this waiting period. The track, a dancehall-styled tune, is already winning Jodi some new fans across Africa and Europe (the video has racked up almost 60,000 views in less than 2 weeks), paving the way for his January album release and his upcoming tour (Atlanta, Minneapolis, Liberia and Nigeria this December; Jamaica, London, Norway, and Germany in January; Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, South Africa, and Kenya in February). Keep an eye on this guy via Facebook or Twitter so you know when he's hitting your town.
Incidentally, Jodi is also running a $500 USD "Show Your Swagger" contest right now; closing date is 1st December).
Swaggeristic is available on iTunes, Amazon and www.jodiclarke.com.
Listen out for it on This Is Africa hit radio.
Written by Ameyaw Debrah
