This “Lyrical Genius” comes from the beautiful island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, “the gem of the Antilles”. Although this island is small, it produces a mighty musician worthy of praise. Due to his love of music, it created a brewing melting pot of wondrous ideas influenced by different genres such as Reggae, Zouk, R&B and Jazz.
Raised by both parents, he transcended into the musical scene by ways of the church. He grew up listening and partaking in the classical church choir and also his equally, musically talented relatives. He drew inspiration from Machel Montano and rose to the musical spotlight fuelled by his passion of music.
Being a man who has worked from the age of 5, he has developed his musical career and evolved into a type of persona who is able to craft ideas for others. He has grown into a tree which stems from his roots and has extended his branch into our Caribbean culture.
Seeing how we spoke about Hance in a phenomenal light, makes a person wonder how much he has achieved in his musical career.
This energetic performer has won St.Vincent's Soca Monarch from 2003-2009 and even took part in Calypso in 2003. This wave of talent broke the shores of not only St.Vincent, but Barbados, Grenada and even Suriname.
Being exposed to Soca at a young age , this songwriter/singer has metamorphosized over the years where he treated music as a profession and not a hobby. He developed various writing skills and his maturity level is quite remarkable both on stage and off. This maturity has allowed him to create memorable performances thus creating an extraordinary artist.
Reading this article would make you believe that Hance John is an old soul, however, he is a youthful spirit who is fresh from the University of the West Indies ( CaveHill Campus).
One might think that he easily balanced his school life with his musical career however, that wasn’t the case. He missed a few performances here and there and his song-writing was affected but his love and passion of music did not deter him from a proper education.
This 24 year old's plan for the future entails being a certified accountant and also wanting to pursue a MSc in Performing Arts/ Trade Policy. Moreover, he wants to create a charity to help young persons with an education; providing them with stationery, clothing, books, etc, whilst also wanting to continue his song-writing. Furthermore, this “Lyrical Talent” wants to develop a Music Summer Programme in 2017 and become a Cultural Ambassador.
Since music is a beneficial export in St.Vincent, Hance John believes that we should take the creative industry seriously as it can enhance the economy. Persons can benefit from this industry because it would influence tourism, entertainment, etc. He also wishes to see the government provide scholarships and programmes in the arts.
According to Hance, “Be yourself, be original; it's the greatest gift anyone can possess”.
Take a listen to some of Hance's music below!
