Local reggae artist talks album, video, and the Bob Marley flick

With the recent release of the Bob Marley biopic, reggae has been thrust back into the public eye for the first time in a long time.

To explore the effect that's had on the local reggae scene, Ara from 103.1 Beach Radio brought in a friend who happens to be embroiled in it himself.

Local reggae artist, Gold Mynd, stopped in to talk scene growth, his thoughts on the film, as well as recent releases and accomplishments.

The questions and answers have been edited for clarity

Ara: Tell me a bit about the inspiration behind your album ‘Love and Life’.

Gold Mynd: It was written from a place of the things I think I needed to say, not so much of what I thought the public needed to hear. So, it's just amazing to see how it has been received. So, as the title suggests, love songs, you know, reggae, inspiration for the ladies. We talk about the nice stuff in life, and then we close off the album with the uncomfortable subjects in life. Because reggae is like a voice for the voiceless, right?

A: I heard one of the songs on that album, ‘Everything Is Gonna Be Alright’, is up for an award for its video?

GM: It is truly an honour. I'm blessed to be a part of the OSIF Awards, and for the second year. One of my videos has been nominated for the best music video. So, it was done again by an awesome team of Irisphere guys, and we shot it at the Arc House Studio location downtown.

A: Have you seen the Bob Marley movie yet, and what did you think about it?

GM: What I love most about the movie is that it introduces people to the culture of Rasta, reggae, and Jamaica. Rasta is a symbol of freedom; it's detached from the norm or the system and it’s just you go off what you think defines you. And reggae, as you know, Bob Marley is the one that really made it famous. But it's really how the grassroots started in Jamaica, Trenchtown and everything just came together with the culture. It's a great movie and what I love most is that it's not showing Bob Marley from the superstar status. It's more just showing him as a human being, how emotional he was, how vulnerable he could have been.

A: What are your thoughts on the Kelowna reggae scene? It's growing. It's bubbling. So, for those artists that are maybe afraid to put the music out there, what do you want to say to them?

GM: Well, they say where you find the most dreams is in a cemetery. And once I read that quote, I realized that the time is now, and anything we have to do is now. What's so exciting about Kelowna is it's growing in so many aspects, you know, development, culture, everything. So, I think it's the perfect place to be for any artist. I mean, I'm excited because reggae is something that's unique, I'm unique to the region, so it’s just looking very promising.

Gold Mynd recently celebrated the one-year anniversary for the release of his album ‘Love and Life’, as well as the reveal of his new EP ‘Life Lessons’.

You can find his music on all major streaming services.