After dominating highlights at the recent Wah Sa Halat Music Awards grabbing three of the most important awards of the night, Gambia’s Afro-Manding star ST aka ‘Brikama Boyo’ has expressed his delight at the direction his career is heading to, saying receiving an award is a demonstration that people are appreciative of one’s efforts.
The Brikama-born singer took many by surprise at the recent Wah Sa Halat Music Awards, taking home Artiste of the Year; Video of the Year as well as Rap/Hip-hip Artiste of the Year awards.
Wah Sa Halat Music Awards which is running in its third year is an event where artistes and stakeholders in music are rewarded for their extraordinary efforts in the promotion of the country’s music. The event was initiated by Ya Sally Njie-Colley aka Sista Njie.
“It’s a great pleasure being compensated for my work, or showing me that people actually appreciate my work, which awards actually do. So honestly, I feel honoured to be nominated as a nominee out of the categories that I was involved in. And it was a great pleasure finally having to win three of the most important awards of the night. So I feel awesome,” said ST in an exclusive with Standard Lite on Tuesday.
The Afro-Manding sensation remains hopeful about his forthcoming projects.
“In 2018 I’m working on a brand new album which I’m hoping to launch sometime around November or December. But I’m also planning to do a lot of collabos with international artistes. I think it’s high time we did collaboration with other international artistes. We have to go internationally,” he said.
While acknowledging the giant strides made in the country’s music scene now compared to the last five years, ST affirmed that there still needs some adjustment to push it to another plateau.
“Honestly, Gambian music taking a look at it five or three years ago and now is completely different. So we are making a great progress and I can’t deny that it is impressive. Though is a slow progress and we have a lot of other little things that are affecting us. But gradually we are getting there” he stated.
He called on music fans in the country to continue supporting Gambian music, promising that things will get better someday.
Launching his musical career shortly after completing his high school in 2006, ST is one of The Gambia’s finest rappers of recent times.
He released his maiden single Who is ST? shortly after launching his career and two years later he launched his mixtape Ga On Fire in February 2010.
In 2011, he released a video called Adiyata Telleyeh followed by a 14-track debut album titled Distinction released in 2013.
In December 2013 and 2014, he stole the shows after putting up scintillating performances at the annual Open Mic Fest.
In mid-2014, he released another hit song titled Aling Domo, in which he hit at his critics. The song became an anthem and won him numerous awards and popularity across the country. In 2016, he dropped his second signature album titled Watotijay which also proves to be another thriller album and received an even warmer reception than his previous one. It comprises 12 soundtracks.
Since then ST who is popular for his energetic onstage performances, has established himself as a household star.
