Richie Stephens

On Saturday, October 11, timeless reggae hitmaker Richie Stephens will ignite Jamaican music lovers with musical flames at the inaugural Soul In The Sun festival, scheduled for The Aqueduct in Rose Hall in St James.

Stephens is the first reggae Jamaican act signed to perform. He will share the stage with a galaxy of R&B hitmakers, including Regina Belle, Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, Howard Hewitt, Keith Sweat, Silk, Johnny Gill and Dru Hill on the festival which runs from October 10-12.

"I am very excited to be the first Jamaican act signed to perform on this very impressive lineup of international R&B stars," said Stephens. "The organisers are clearly confidence in my ability to entertain fans and I plan to deliver an exciting, fun-filled performance at the festival."

The Jamaican music ambassador has just returned the island, fresh from a string of strong performances in Toronto and New York where he launched his album, Real Reggae Music. A few months earlier, he embarked on a successful tour of Europe, playing sold-out gigs in London, Manchester, Leeds, Kent and Willingborough.

Prior to the release of Real Reggae Music, the prolific singer teamed with his good friend, Gentleman, to release a string of hit songs. Their whirlwind success started in 2011 with the single, Live Your Life, which topped reggae charts in New York, Florida, Atlanta and was voted the Best International Song at the 2011 Stone Love Awards in Kingston.