‘The best yet’

Award-winning Jamaican gospel artiste Kevin Downswell is poised to release what he calls the most personal project of his career, an upcoming album he describes as his “best yet” and the most vulnerable he has ever allowed himself to be in his music. He shared these sentiments with the Jamaica Observer’s Splash ahead of his Pre-Album Launch Worship Experience on Sunday, July 19.

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I wrote most of these songs in the pandemic, when we were feeling all the pressure and the battles, the tears, the pain and the disappointment.

Downswell revealed that the unnamed album was primarily written during the COVID-19 pandemic, with its songs inspired by periods of uncertainty, disappointment, perseverance, and renewed faith. "I wrote most of these songs in the pandemic, when we were feeling all the pressure and the battles, the tears, the pain and the disappointment," he said. He believes that "wherever you are in your process, one song will connect with you."

Listeners can anticipate what Downswell considers his strongest songwriting to date. "I think this is the realest I’ve ever been in my songs," he stated. "This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been with my tracks… and I think this is the best I’ve ever written." He added that fans will hear pieces of his own testimony woven throughout the album, noting, "You’ll hear my story in every song. You’ll know that I couldn’t write like this if I hadn’t been through something like this."

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Wherever you are in your process, one song will connect with you.

The first single from the project, Higher (From the Fire), released on Tuesday, July 14, is an Afro-soca anthem focused on overcoming life's trials. Downswell explained, "Sometimes what was meant to destroy you actually lifts you higher," citing the biblical story of Joseph as an inspiration. The album itself moves beyond traditional gospel, incorporating influences from reggae, Afro-soca, and calypso. "I’ve always tried to stay away from limitations," he said. "It’s a beautiful mixture."

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I think this is the realest I’ve ever been in my songs. This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been with my tracks… and I think this is the best I’ve ever written.

Beyond the music, Downswell's greatest hope is that listeners encounter God in a fresh way. "I’ve fallen in love with God all over again," he shared. "I just want people to experience His presence and His love. I want God to meet people wherever they’re at."

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You’ll hear my story in every song. You’ll know that I couldn’t write like this if I hadn’t been through something like this.