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At 17 years old, Sean Kingston has already made his mark in the music industry through his own means.
Reaching out first to the masses from his MySpace page, he became the number one artiste on the site for four weeks.
Finally confident enough to approach American music producer J.R. Rotem to sample his music, Kingston's talent was spotted and the rest is history.
In Singapore recently for his first gig in the city-state, the singer-rapper said persistence, being street-smart, and believing in himself was what brought him this far, despite being a young lad in the harsh industry.
“The industry is cruel: there is lots of snakes in the grass and you just have to look out for them and play your cards right,” said Kingston.
“A lot of people just see you as a big dollar sign. You do what you got to do and basically just milk the game, because you just never know when the time will come and there’s no more songs you can sing and the records are not coming... and you crash. You never know that so you just got to milk it whilst you are in the game, and take advantage of it.”
Born in Miami but raised in Jamaica, Kingston’s music is a fusion of both cultures. He has since created his very own special music vibe, incorporating rap, reggae, pop, soul and more into his songs. The results? A refreshing dose of feel good songs perfect for a weekend getaway or beach parties.
His hit single "Beautiful Girls", a perfect example of the Miami-Jamaican fusion, reached the top in the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Single Charts.
His self-titled debut album last year showcased his musical talents when he wrote the lyrics to all the songs on the record – lyrics which he says represent his personal life.
According to the singer, he is not at all shy about revealing to the world his life story as he hopes others like him would draw inspiration from it.
“When I tell people (my life story) I want them to feel inspired, like they can do it too because the stuff I’ve been through in my life, dealing with certain stuff, growing up... it’s been crazy. So for me to be where I am now, its motivation.”
Kingston said his next album, which he is currently working on, will use the same formula – sharing honest personal experiences through his songs.
- CNA/yb
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