After only a year on the local music scene, Dancehall artiste One Dan won two awards at last Saturday’s Linden Music Awards, including the People’s Choice Award. But, this artiste is only getting started and has his heart set on winning at least one Grammy someday.
Born Clive Downer, the singer/songwriter, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, grew up at Blueberry Hill, Linden. He is the youngest of his siblings.
On Monday last, the singer celebrated one year since entering the entertainment scene and perhaps a fitting reward was the Best New Dancehall Artiste of the Year award he won.
When asked how many songs he has recorded to date, he replied, “Only five.” Yet, five songs within a year is an accomplishment for the singer who works full time at a mining company.
In his earlier years he enjoyed listening to singers like Beres Hammond, Gregory Isaacs and Jim Reeves. By the time he hit his teen years, One Dan was into Dancehall music and listened to songs by Mavado and Beenie Man among other Dancehall artistes.
One Dan explained that he had always been passionate about music even while he attended Christianburg Wismar Secondary School. He shared that he was at school with another recording artiste from Linden who goes by the stage name ‘Mafi’. The two of them would get together singing and rapping songs, sometimes drumming on their desks. The teachers were not too happy about this, the singer chuckled, as he shared that they received lashes often for this.
Mafi subsequently took up a music career, but One Dan remained caught up with his studies among other things. Just last year, the singer completed his fourth course at the Linden Technical Institute.
The songwriter shared that he would always come up with original phrases for songs but it wasn’t until the latter part of November 2021 that he decided to write them down. Less than two weeks later he released his first single “AR-15”. He then went on to release four other songs, “Nah Seh”, “Dark and Wicked”, “Swing It” and “Cold Wrld”, which was recorded on the Cold Wrld Riddim. Cold Wrld is the most popular song among fans.
His songs have since received airplay in the UK, the US, Jamaica, Trinidad, Belize and Grenada. In regard to the local radio stations, his songs have been played on 104.3 FM, BOOM FM, and 93.1 FM.
The five songs are just a few of the almost 50 he has penned to date, but he is adhering to advice from those in the music industry to allow time for his fans to learn his songs before releasing more. He has also recorded songs in other genres: R&B, HipHop and Soca, which are still to be released. His songs have been recorded at a number of studios including Fraser Records, King Drac Productions, Code R3d and AJ Records.
“I’m just filled with joy, you know. I don’t say much, but with music I can say all I want to say. A lot of people don’t get to live their dreams and I am getting to live my dreams. It’s amazing,” the singer said excitedly.
One Dan said he has always been an introvert and explained that he went from no one knowing him to being the winner of the People’s Choice Award. It was not something he saw coming, given that he was nominated along with some of the more seasoned people in the industry. The other singers in this category were Mafi, Davy Marley, Dann Chorus, GT Youths and powerhouse Diana Chapman.
“Linden ain’t short of talent, so to be able to be nominated alongside names like that, you have to be doing something [good]. Diana, Mafi, Davy Dann Chorus, GT Youths — all of these people are well known around the country. To have been chosen for this award, it says a lot when it comes to the people believing in my potential… I am honoured to have received this award,” said One Dan.
In spite of starting his career in the middle of a pandemic, he said, he was able to get a few gigs here and there. However, being able to do music full time is a dream he is yet to realize.
Speaking on what he hopes to achieve in another five years, One Dan said, “I see my music on an international level. Receiving the awards at the Linden Music Awards just build me up so much that I’m telling myself that I have the potential to work towards a Grammy. So it’s crazy work to put in for the next five years.”
When he is not caught up with work, the singer is in his personal studio working on new music. He noted that having his own set up helps prepare him for when he has to record his songs at other recording studios.
According to the Dancehall artiste, he is the only one standing in his way adding that he sees himself as his biggest competition and every time he is in his studio working, he is always trying to improve his talent. “Every song that I do, I try to better it the next time. I keep trying to bring out the best in me. If you check my music right now, you would see the evolution of it. This is what pushes me,” said One Dan.
Regarding what fans can look forward to, the singer noted that he has always been unpredictable but if anything, fans can expect that his music is always going to be better than before.
One Dan acknowledged his fans for the fame he has acquired so far. He also went on to acknowledge his naysayers, who, he said, added to his popularity by choosing to talk about him.
The singer can be followed on Instagram @theeonedan, on Facebook at One Dan, on
Audiomack at One Dan and on YouTube at One Dan Music.
