Tweet
On a cool night in Toronto a group sits around a somewhat bashful man with his guitar in Caribbean Queen restaurant. As he holds his guitar, he drops his head down, closes his eyes and begins to sing.
The crowd becomes captivated, as the shy man’s powerful voice croons, “Lioness,” a love song about a woman who uplifts her man and makes him feel special.
The man with the guitar is Simon Vassell known to many as Humble.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">Images newsletter</span>
“Music is my passion because it is the only thing that can change the way you feel at a certain moment,” said the 29-year-old.
Born in England to Jamaican parents, Humble moved to Canada when he was 3-years-old. It was around that time that his parents discovered their son had talent.
“When I was about three or four I used to sing “Tears On My Pillow” by Johnny Nash to anyone who would listen,” he said.
As a teenager, he moved to a neighborhood called Rexdale where he was given the name Humble.
“I got the name from a respected elder who was my neighbor,” he said. “I used to be very quiet and take in more than I expressed.”
In his late teens he bought his first guitar and started experimenting and songwriting.
In 2005 Humble released his first album “Hard to See.” In 2007 his album was nominated for a Juno award, a music award presented to Canadian music artists. That same year Humble won Best Artist and Best Album at the International Reggae Awards and won a Global Marijuana Music Award for his single “High Grade.” He recently won Best Songwriter at the 2008 International Reggae Awards.
His latest album “Everything” that was recorded and produced in Jamaica will be released online in December.
“The focus on this album is the importance of life and we are all here to preserve our lives,” he said.
He declared that he has many musical influences.
"Dennis Brown is one of the most influential artists to me because of the voice he had, Bob Marley of course and Lauryn Hill, soulful kinds of artists.”
When he is not singing or writing songs, he is working with at risk youth. His main focus, however, is to push his album.
“I want to get this album in the right people’s hands,” he declared.
He said that the love of music keeps him going.
“It is used in all parts of my life, it motivates me and it has power.”
Comment