DA'Ville

Born Orville Thomas in 1978, lovers rock and reggae vocalist Da'Ville grew up in Kingston, Jamaica under the watchful eye of his devout grandmother. Her firm religious principles kept him regularly involved in church activities, where he first sang with the choir and cultivated an early passion for melody. As he matured and encountered the vibrant recordings of nearby independent groups, that initial focus on gospel gradually shifted toward more commercial reggae sounds. During his high-school period he experimented with assorted musical efforts, yet his distinctive voice and style only crystallized several years after graduation. In 2001 he launched his solo career under the name Da'Ville by securing his debut recording contract. Early success arrived through a series of popular standalone releases, among them the regional favorites “All My Life” and “This Is the Feeling,” which dominated airwaves across the Caribbean in the first half of the decade. Not until 2005 did he issue his first full-length project, In Heaven, whose title track became an enormous success and heightened calls for fresh material. He answered promptly with the 2006 album Can’t Get Over You. Throughout the remainder of the 2000s he maintained a busy schedule of global performances and studio work, landing repeated chart entries such as “On My Mind.” Momentum carried him into the following decade on the strength of his 2009 release Ichiban, which included a featured appearance by dancehall legend Shaggy. Da’Ville sustained his output with mixtapes as well as the 2012 album Krazy Love.