genre hiphop

Hailing from Mannings Hill in the Stony Hill area of Jamaica’s St. Andrew parish, Valiant has emerged as one of the leading voices of dancehall’s new generation – and his forthcoming new EP promises to cement his stardom and carry him into a notably more R&B-infused space.
In 2022, Valiant (born Raheem Bowes) broke through with a scorching string of singles — “Dunce Cheque,” “Siance,” “Speed Off,” “North Caolina,” and “C.A.L (Cut All Losses)” among them – that established his singular slang (“Kotch e hat a lie”) and his melodic approach to trap dancehall. The following year, he dropped his 20-song 4:14 mixtape, which he supported with performances across the Caribbean and the U.K. Although his breakthrough was fairly recent, Valiant, 26, has been recording music for over a decade; the young father was even a part of Popcaan’s Unruly Camp once upon a time.

After signing to Sony Music UK’s newly relaunched Epic Records in late 2023, Valiant dropped his A Gift from Me to You EP, which gave way to an even bigger 2024 — with hits like “Flava,” “Lumbah” and “Baddiedeh.” In 2024, Valiant won best Caribbean music act at the MOBO Awards and male dancehall artist of the year at the Caribbean Music Awards. This year, Valiant is looking to defend his title at the latter award show, which announces its victors on Aug. 28 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

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Out on May 23 via Epic/Sony Records UK, Valiant’s forthcoming new EP, Prove Them Wrong, intends to do exactly as its title suggests. From detractors and doubters to those apprehensive of the longevity of dancehall or Valiant’s versatility, the international star is set to level up significantly from his mixtape days. The new set will feature several collaborations, including tracks with Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Fridayy and fellow Jamaican dancehall star 450, as well as a heavier R&B sound. 

“For this project, I basically did one trap song,” Valiant tells Billboard. “I wanted to give them a different sound; I don’t want it to be [a case where] it sounds like every dancehall project. I wanted different feelings, so I infused my dancehall with a lot of R&B on the new project.” 

Featuring cuts like “Selfish,” “Ugly” and “Whole Lotta,” Prove Them Wrong has already established an intriguing Spanish guitar-laced soundscape complemented by thought-provoking ruminations of masculinity and male beauty politics. With over 128 million official on-demand U.S. streams to his name already, according to Luminate, Valiant hopes to exponentially grow that number as he shares his new music with the world. 

Speaking with Billboard, Valiant explains why he believes in trap dancehall’s longevity, the origins of his stage name, and why he’ll always bet on Drake.

What’s the first song you remember being stuck in your head? 

“Next to You” by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber. 

Who are the dancehall figures that you look up to as you navigate your career? 

Some of the old legends dem like Shabba [Ranks], Yellowman, Vybz Kartel and Mavado. I look pon what they do inna di game, and try to [note] what to do and what not to do. 

Why do you think younger listeners are so drawn to the sound of trap dancehall? 

We, as young people, must believe in [ourselves]. As kids, we were rebellious against the bigger kids dem, so I think [younger listeners] like the rebellious behavior and the crazy, creative style we bring in trap dancehall.  

Do you think this is a style of music that will have longevity? 

Yeah. It’s not like it’s changing from dancehall. If dancehall is the father or the senior, then trap dancehall is the junior. 

What’s your favorite song to perform live? 

Recently, “Baddiedeh.” Before, it was “Cut All Losses.” 

Where’s your favorite place to perform outside of Jamaica? 

Mi love performing in the U.K.; mi like Bahamas and Trinidad, too. The U.K. loves dancehall, dem support dancehall. People really come out to the shows when dancehall artists visit. I remember one time I was in Manchester [Parish in Jamaica] and the parents came backstage like, “The kids won’t go home!” [Laughs.] 

How do you think you’ve grown since putting out 4:14 in 2023? 

4:14 was more of a mixtape I made with friends. It was a vibe. I want fans to hear more from me because there’s a lot of things I couldn’t get to do on [that project]. A lot of people still come to me and say that they listen to 4:14 up to now. Musically, I grow with every song because I always try fi do different things and different sounds. Even if I get criticized, I always try — because you nuh know which songs could cross over and change your life. 

Which producers did you work with for Prove Them Wrong? 

The producers for this project are DJ Mac, KVRIM, GI, Emoji Records and Crown Heights. 

How many tracks should we expect? 

Still unknown, but it’s gonna be the length of an album. It’s basically an album. 

What was the studio session for “Whole Lotta” like? 

I was in the studio with KVRIM and a few other writers, catching a vibe and chilling. I wanted a song that was not about the trap. We never want it to sound speaky-spokey, so we infused the patois with R&B melodies and the Spanish guitar in the riddim. 

Do you prefer singing or rapping? 

Mi love singing! Growing up, I was singing a lot, and I’ve learned to master my craft. I know when to deejay and when not to deejay, but I’m trying to branch out because I mostly just want to sing.  

Who are some vocalists that you study? 

I like Sam Smith’s vocals, and Alicia Keys, Adele and John Legend. That’s the type of music I like too. 

Who are some of your favorite R&B artists right now? 

I like Chris Brown. Partynextdoor and Fridayy too. The Weeknd. 

Who’s the greatest rapper alive? 

Eminem and then Drake. Drake is an all-around artist and a hitmaker. I’m not saying Kendrick [Lamar] is not a good artist – we need both of them – but if I had to book somebody, I’m booking Drake. If you carry Drake to Jamaica, everybody knows a song from Drake. If Kendrick comes out, they’ll know three or four songs max maybe. Mi sure of that, mi can bet money pon dat. But the crowd will still come out for Kendrick because he’s Kendrick. 

Who are some of your dream collaborators? 

Rihanna – [I want to do] a whole album with her. 

You broke through in the TikTok era of the music industry. How do you think that platform has impacted dancehall specifically? 

It’s a good marketing strategy to let people from all over the world hear your music. The younger generation, even the older generation, they’re on TikTok, right? It’s a platform where you can promote a business, your music, anything, and all you have to do is post a short video. It’s a different game. 

How’d you come up with your stage name? 

I got it from the title of [a 2005 animated film] about birds [fighting in World War II]. It was one of my favorite [movies] growing up, so I looked up the meaning and saw that “valiant” meant courage and brave and all that. Mi seh, “Yuh know? It fit meh.” At first, I was Raheem Melody, and then I changed it. 

What excites you most about this generation of dancehall artists? 

I like how competitive it is, everybody wanna be on top. I’m trying to cross over.  I like to be consistent. I like that my name is always called when discussing the new generation. It’s competitive, but it’s all unity. The new generation is more cooperative and will link up and do things together.