Charly Black is aiming for a Grammy Award.
And with his new EP, So Many Reasons, he has positioned himself to be in contention.
The album features dance bangers, love songs and strong singing vocals from Black, all the elements he believes would allow him to reach his goal.
With a Diamond certification in Latin America and Recording Industry Association of America gold certification for his mega hit ‘Gyal You a Party Animal’’, Black, birth name Desmond Mendize, is once again expanding his talents beyond the typical Dancehall sound.
So Many Reasons is a culmination of Caribbean and Latin American dance on which he tapped a diverse roster of talent from both worlds to work on, including Spanish DJ and record producer Sak Noel, Colombian superstar and songstress Greeicy, Jamaican Grammy-winning artist Sean Paul and Miami-based multi-platinum hitmaker Scott Storch.
The five-track album features the Reggaeton/Dancehall dance song “Ravin” with Sean Paul and Greeicy, and “Treat” a more straightforward Reggaeton produced by El Brujo.
So Many Reasons also showcases a more loving side of Black with slower soulful songs like “Don’t Wanna to Let You Go” and “Anniversary” which was produced by DJ Fly from Martinique.
Black said working with these producers from Aftercluv, Universal Music’s Latin America dance music division, allowed him to explore his versatility.
“If I was to tell a producer in Jamaica or Trinidad I want to sing a song like “Don’t Wanna to Let You Go”, they wouldn’t want to produce it, they would want me to sing a skin out song or a daggering song to be the original dancehall Charly they used to know of. Me, I know I have a lot more to offer,” he said, comparing himself to an adjustable wrench.
He is proud of his vocals on the EP especially on the title track, his favourite, “So Many Reasons” from Jamaican producer TJ.
“I think my vocals are getting better. I am not a singer but this EP just make me feel like yo Romain Virgo you better watch yourself, meh friend Sanchez you better watch yourself,” he said laughing.
Stating that he feels so proud of himself, Black said he practiced strengthening his vocals by listening and studying the likes of Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Adele, Kenny Rogers and even Sean Paul.
And like those singers, he has created an album everyone could listen to.
"This is basically an album you can play with the whole family without skipping because you know my mouth rude," he said, describing it as a mature Charly Black album.
The title track, he said, is his daughters’ favourite as well and was composed in a way that anyone could relate to. Some of the songs were inspired by his many travels across the world.
“There is a line in So Many Reasons, 'I know that you are tired of getting hurt over again but I can say the same thing too', I was in Dubai and this girl was flirting and I was laughing and when I was flirting back she got serious and said she has been hurt so many times and I said same here, I am human just like you, you think I made of iron?” he said.
Having experienced crossover success with “Gyal You a Party Animal” which was remixed by Luis Fonsi and re-released as a collab with Daddy Yankee, Black has built a reputation for fearlessly charting water outside of the genre he started off in as a selector.
This album, he said, continues his foray up the ladder to the musical pinnacle.
He said: “I go Gold already, I sell Diamond in the Latin World so the only way to is up. Consumers have never seen a gun song win a Grammy. You can ask Sean Paul, Junior Gong, Shaggy and all the greats. It is always about a female, always about love and in this time we all need love that is why So Many Reasons.”
With the album launched, Black will be travelling to Miami soon to shoot videos for “So Many Reasons” and “Diggy Dee”.