Valiant

Valiant is the Jamaican people's artist. With his resoundingly melodic voice and relatable storytelling, the Jamaican-born singer's music offers a vivid reflection of life in his community.

Toward the end of 2023, Valiant completed a run of U.S. performance dates, officially introducing his raw Jamaican talent to a mainstream audience.

'"Mad Out' gave me a piece of the international world that put me on a new level," the artist explains. "Dancehall has a negative stigma on it, and we younger-generation artists are creating a more positive wave."

That mindset was first sparked at age seven, when Valiant, born Raheem Bowes, began writing songs in his hometown of St Andrew, Jamaica. He cites reggae and dancehall legends like Yellow Man, Shabba Ranks, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Beres Hammond, Bob Marley, and Gregory Isaacs as influences growing up.

The young Valiant didn't know what direction to take after high school, but rather than yield to the usual parental pressures, he found the answer in music. He often hung out at the iconic Big Yard Studio in Kingston's Half Way Tree neighborhood, where he was introduced to Popcaan's Unruly Camp, a musical collective featuring rising dancehall artists, and in 2020 released several singles for to label.

After leaving Unruly Camp, Valiant steadily amassed a diehard following with songs like 2022 "Dunce Cheque" and 2023's "Narcissistic" with fellow dancehall artist Stalk Ashley; in 2023, five of his singles simultaneously topped Jamaica's YouTube chart organically generating more than 283 million views on YouTube in under a year.

Continuing to rise, kicking off the year with the Mobo Award for Best Caribbean Artist, Valiant promises to continue to capture the attention of fans of Jamaican music worldwide with his vibrant sound and genuine nature in 2024. "Ever since I was younger, music was a healer," he says. "With my music, I'm trying to create a better way for people to enjoy themselves and just be free."