Solidifying her position among Jamaica’s leading female dancehall artists, the distinguished Dancehall sensation Bad Gyal Ce’cile has ventured into a new international collaboration. The acclaimed artist recently unveiled a partnership with emerging American singer-songwriter Nate Winter from Maine. Recognising the need for a Jamaican touch in their joint venture, the producers of Nate’s hit track “Happy Cup” sought to infuse a reggae fusion element to amplify its global appeal.
Delving into the “Happy Cup” concept, Nate Winter highlighted its symbolism of embracing positivity. He explained, “It’s an analogy about filling yourself with positive things. I was at a point when I only wanted to seek out things that would fill my Happy Cup. We recorded the song at Inner Circle with the Third World band and other exceptional musicians, and they believed Ce’cile would be a fantastic addition to that.” Winter collaborated with the experienced team of Multiplatinum-selling DJ/producer Wayne ‘Native Wayne’ Jobson and Brian Jobson for the track, known for their work with renowned artists like No Doubt’s 2001 megahit collab ”Hey Baby” with Bounty Killer, and considered Ce’cile the perfect fit to recreate the sound.
Expressing her honour to be part of the collaboration, Ce’cile hopes it sparks more significant opportunities. She stated, “It’s something I could see as a trend. Your Happy Cup is you, what’s in your happy cup, who’s filling your cup, and who are you going to allow in that sacred, happy place.”
Winter conveyed that Jobson aimed to bridge the gap between California fusion reggae and Jamaican reggae. Ce’cile’s introduction to music came through a friend of her late father, Michael “Ibo” Cooper from the reggae band Third World, who also contributed to creating the song “Beat of Her Heart.”
No stranger to successful collaborations, Ce’cile achieved her breakthrough with the 2001 hit “Can You Do the Work” alongside Sean Paul. The track featured on Paul’s album “Dutty Rock,” selling over two million copies in the United States and earning a Grammy Award. She expresses joy in being part of wherever “reggae music is being played on an international level.”
Scheduled for release on March 8th across all platforms, the song “Happy Cup” radiates an upbeat vibe reminiscent of Pharrell’s “Happy.” Nate Winter revealed that the music video would premiere on his TikTok account two weeks prior as a prelude to the official release. Winter, acknowledging Bob Marley as the first musician he listened to when learning to play the guitar at 13, feels honoured that the collaboration will be introduced during the Bob Marley 79th celebration One Love concert, scheduled to broadcast live on Tuff Gong radio (Channel 19 SiriusXM) on February 7th, commemorating Bob Marley’s 79th birthday.
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