Reggae singer Junior Kelly credits his 25-year-old hit If Love So Nice for changing his fortunes.
The song, which was first recorded in 1998, was officially released on vinyl RPM (revolutions per minute) in the year 2000.
“The success of the song, it changed my life significantly with popularity, visibility, interest, and financial earnings,” Junior Kelly told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.
The song, which he continues to perform to this day, brought the artiste to major stages across the world, while creating opportunities for him to work with independent record labels.
“I was able to perform on big stages all over the world as it grew to a major hit in many countries. It also did work with some well-established producers and record companies, like Jet Star and VP Records. It is a must in my performance set, everywhere that I go to perform to this day. It is also the most sought-after song up to now in terms of dub plates from my catalogue,” Junior Kelly disclosed.
But what was the inspiration behind the chart-topping song that was produced by Michael Stanford and released on the Mrosh Productions label?
Junior Kelly recalled: “I was living in Boston at the time during the winter playing Bob Marley’s Stir It Up and I heard an altercation next door between a couple, and the man who owned the home was taken away by the police and the hook came to me, ‘If love so nice tell me why it hurts so bad.’ ”
The veteran artiste said he had no idea that the song would have been a hit.
“I recorded the song at Anchor Studio between 8:00 pm to 3:00 am and everyone who heard it liked it. I was a bit numb because I came back home to record this song with the hope that this one would make it. But with so many songs being recorded and not seeing the light of day I wasn’t confident this one would hit the mark. I didn’t think it was going to become a hit. I have been doing music since I was 13 and I really got my big break at the age of 30. So I really was getting dejected, but still I still persisted as I felt this was my purpose in life to do musical works,” he shared.
If Love So Nice was first played in Canada and popular radio jock Barry G later gave the song some legs on his radio programme.
“A Canadian DJ purchased it in England and started playing it in Canada. The song made the Canadian DJ win a clash with Barry G, so he started playing it here in Jamaica. I still wasn’t sure this would be the song that would buss me, so I was taking it in stride and being cool about it,” Junior Kelly reminisced.
Prior to recording the song Junior Kelly worked as a painter and then did some boxing.
Since he hit pay dirt with If Love So Nice, the lanky singer, who is originally from Waltham Park Road then moved to Spanish Town, released 10 studio albums — Rise, Creation, Juvenile, Conscious Voice, Love So Nice, Tough Life, Smile, Red Pond, Piece of the Pie, and Urban Poet.
His other hit songs in the wake of the success of If Love So Nice include Jewel of the Nile, Sunshine (which topped charts in St Vincent & the Grenadines), Receive, and Missing You with singer Barbee.
Junior Kelly released his most recent single Only You on Friday October 3, produced by Big Feet Records. Another single titled Everything was released in August.
“I recently recorded an album of covers for Cleopatra Records in California, and I am awaiting the release date. It includes Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved and Lovely Day by Bill Withers,” disclosed Junior Kelly, who continues to tour Europe annually