In almost 30 years as a gospel artiste, Wingy Danejah has never limited his sound. He sees nothing wrong with praising the Lord to reggae, dancehall, rap or rhythm and blues.

On Clean Heart, his latest song, he shares the mic with rapper Kidd Lee and singer Kennis Clark. Like many of Wingy Danejah’s previous efforts, it is inspired by personal experience.

“As a reggae artiste, I often draw from my personal life, social issues, and spiritual beliefs when creating my music. Clean Heart reflects our perspective on maintaining a pure and righteous heart in the face of challenges and temptations,” he said. “It’s common for artistes to infuse their personal experiences and emotions into their songs, and our heartfelt lyrics in Clean Heart definitely stems from convictions of the Holy Ghost.”

Lee is based in North Carolina while Clark is from Atlanta. Wingy Danejah, who was raised in Portmore, lives in South Florida where he has worked with acts from diverse backgrounds.

Clean Heart recently made the iTunes R&B/Soul Chart, which he considers a big deal.

“Having my song on the R&B/Soul Chart as a reggae artiste is thrilling and a rewarding experience. It signifies that my music has resonated with listeners beyond the reggae genre and has crossed over into a different musical landscape. It’s an indication that my artistry has connected with a diverse audience and that my music has the ability to transcend genre boundaries,” said Wingy Danejah.

While living in Portmore, Wingy Danejah was a regular at secular dances in the early 1990s. Back then, his ‘sparring partners’ included singer Daville who went on to have a solid career with hits like Always on My Mind. Daville is now a Christian.

Wingy Danejah accepted the Christian faith before migrating to the United States late that decade. His initial gospel recordings were for the American independent label, Awake Records.

Howard Campbell