Naomi Cowan, Kabaka Pyramid score with See You Tonight
Singer/songwriter Naomi Cowan and Grammy Award-winning reggae artiste Kabaka Pyramid have been receiving rave reviews for their collaboration — See You Tonight.
The soulful tune is on the Brimstone rhythm courtesy of Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock Productions.
“So far, the feedback has been awesome. A lot of DJs are excited about it, and I think the industry and the space is excited about it just because you don’t get to see reggae artistes express that level of sensuality as often as we’d like. That’s the envelope that I wanted to push with the song, and it’s been working,” Cowan told the Jamaica Observer.
See You Tonight was released on May 10.
Both artistes, who have been successful on an individual level, have been cheering for each other for the past several years. Cowan noted that she took a hold of the opportunity to team up with Kabaka Pyramid once the chance appeared.
“I’ll never forget one of my first times performing at Dubwise [café]. Kabaka actually brought me up onstage and really encouraged me when I was going up there, and on the stage was Chronixx, Lila [Iké]… everybody. That was a couple years ago, and I feel like that was when our first musical connection was made on stage. Since then we’ve always been supporters of each other, and then I suggested this idea to Sean Paul because I had started to write a song on the Brimstone rhythm and he told me he was going to bring Kabaka [Pyramid] on to it, so I suggested that we make it a collab,” the singer explained.
Kabaka Pyramid’s 15-track album The Kalling received the nod in the Best Reggae Album category at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
Meanwhile, Cowan launched her recording career in 2015 with the songs
Naked and Prepare (Ye The Way). In 2017, she covered Things You Say You Love, the original being a big hit in 1967 for The Jamaicans, a rocksteady group, in which her father, Tommy Cowan, was a member. She has since been on a steady trajectory and even played the role of Marcia Griffiths in the
Bob Marley: One Love biopic.
She also explained that her longevity is due to a genuine interest in her craft.
“The consistency throughout my career is attributed to my desire to always make music and create art. It is a career and it is a journey, and you always want to experience certain successes. But the reason why I’m doing this is because I really do love creating the art and the music. I think it’s the satisfaction and the joy and love has made me consistent. Regardless of if it turns into a big hit, or not, for me it’s always a win when you create the product and put it out there. I think that’s part of my God-given gift, because I genuinely love making the art,” Cowan added.