Iyara. - Contributed

When the time comes for upcoming artiste Iyara to shine, he says he will be ready for the big stage.

Iyara, whose real name is Eric Somers, is one of the newest and fastest-rising deejays out of the Alliance group, and as such, making a break into dancehall music is top priority.

"Well right now, the way how I see my music is just to take it to the next level," said Somers, who grew up in Bellevue District, Portland.

Somers, who entered music six years ago, has recorded three songs Christmas Bullet, Ghetto A Suffer, and Rich Fi Rich, which have been getting favourable airplay.

"When you hear my name Iyara, you will hear dancehall, you will hear hardcore music. I also have music for the elders because our music don't have any boundaries," said Somers.

Good start

Inspired by Alliance's strong man Bounty Killer, Somers, who has made an appearance at Champions in Action, and recently at another show in Costa Rica, hopes the positive start to his career will only lead to bigger and better things.

"Bounty Killer is a youth who shares his wealth, not just in money but music also, and I believe in that. So, as soon as I found that out, I love his songs and we just have to build on that strong legacy," he added.

Somers has voiced at many different studios in the Corporate Area, but regularly utilises Fully Thugs Records in White Hall. He says becoming an artiste was his destiny.

"It's a thing that build inside me, my parents never approve of it... but to me, music is a responsibility, just like a child growing up you have to nurture it," said the former graduate of Port Antonio High School.

-R.M.