Reggae/Dancehall artist, Epixode has disclosed the award he wanted instead of the Best Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year he won at the recently-held VGMAs.
Despite being primarily known for his contributions to the Reggae/Dancehall genre, Epixode’s exploration of Highlife has undoubtedly taken his music to new heights and he was hoping to snag the Highlife song of the year, with his hit single, Atia.
Explain why he wasn’t expecting the Best Reggae/Dancehall Song award, Epixode, born Theophilus Nii Arday Otoo told Chrystal K Aryee on 3FM’s Block Party that he felt the Highlife inspirations and sounds made Atia rather popular.
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“I wasn’t expecting it when they were mentioning it my head was down because I was eyeing the Hi-life song of the year. The Highlife part of Atia worked more than the reggae,” he explained on radio “I’m trying to be honest. The Reggae was the mother of the catalogue but the highlife took it to a different level.”
Known for his dynamic and boundary-pushing musical style, Epixode who has chosen to break free from expectations and explore new creative avenues also shed light on why the song appeal to the Reggae/Dancehall fraternity.
“It’s just that what made the reggae work was because that just edit me on it and had all the original elements and because it was also produced live. It also gave it the mileage and shoutout to the fans.”
The 2021 VGMA Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of The Year was however quick to show his gratitude for winning at the 24th edition of the VGMA.
“I am just grateful to represent reggae even though last year people were tagging me as a highlife artiste. This is my second VGMA after winning Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year in 2021.”
While Epixode’s foray into Highlife might have caught many by surprise, he maintained that his goal is to create sounds that will outlive him and create a legacy.
“I have always done me when everyone was doing party songs I did ‘Wahala Dey’. When everyone was doing Amapiano, I did Atia. For me, it’s about my sound and the longevity of my brand,” he reiterated.