J’Calm Bridges Roots and the Future of Jamaican Music

Photo courtesy of Calm Nation

At just 20 years old, J’Calm is carving out his own lane in Jamaican music, blending classic reggae foundations with modern R&B sensibility and emotional honesty.

His album Emotions captures a moment of self-discovery, movement, and vulnerability, powered by legendary production and cross-generational collaborations. Rooted in culture yet unmistakably forward-thinking, J’Calm’s music invites listeners to feel deeply and see themselves in the sound.

Daily Reggae had the chance to interview J’Calm to learn more about the artist’s inspiring new music.

‘Emotions’ is the debut single and title track of your upcoming album. Why did this song feel like the right introduction to who J’Calm is right now?

It felt like it needed to be said what I was witnessing with myself and with others.

What did it mean to you, as a young Jamaican artist, to write and sing your truth over such a foundational piece of reggae history?

To showcase a different side of me that embraces my roots was always something that needed to be done to acknowledge Jamaican history and just using that opportunity to say something that’s not usually said by my generation and even generations before me.

You are a talented dancer as well and fans can really see your moves in your videos! How did you go about writing dance friendly tracks for the album? Any favorites that you’d recommend fans to dance to?

I’ve always had body movement as one of the easiest, quickest and most authentic way of expressing myself, it came with the instinct of being drawn to grooves and drums and basses, tracks like “Kilimanjaro” and maybe even “Real Love” and “Calm Nation” will make you move!

You’ve said ‘Emotions’ reflects self-discovery and empathy. How has your understanding of vulnerability, both in love and in music, evolved while making this album?

⁠I’ve realized that being vulnerable is both very powerful and very dangerous and that it’s a key component in creativity for me.

Your collaboration with Nigy Boy feels deeply soulful and intuitive. What do you think made the connection between you two work so naturally, both musically and emotionally?

⁠I’m a singer as well as NIGY. We both have an understanding of our roots and even being in the same generation in a sense makes us understand how we feel and what we know our generation feels.

From being featured on Barack Obama’s summer playlist to releasing your debut album at 20, your journey has moved fast. As you step into 2026, what do you hope listeners feel or learn about you after hearing Emotions in full?

I hope they see themselves in the album.