Pucka Kayuba hits the online charts-

by Indi McLymont, all woman Co-ordinator,

Local reggae musician Pucka Kayuba is a happy man today, with three of his songs in the top-30 of the popular online www.Wraptor.com music charts.

The three songs, Arise, Let Us Come Together and Love Is The Key have been on the charts since February where they debuted at numbers 11, 27 and 28 respectively. Up to the start of May the three held steady at number 15, 28 and 29.

"The songs have been holding their own consistently since then," said Patrick Shea of Loud Dust Recordings. Loud Dust, a small independent label based in Vermont, USA has been distributing Kayuba's album Peace and Love since its release in 2003.

"We have been pushing four songs from the album as singles and those three are out there and doing well," explained Shea in a telephone interview with the Observer.
According to him, the company had decided to take the somewhat-untraditional route of marketing online, and this decision was finally begining to pay off.

"We have a variety of artistes from Europe, UK etc doing all genres of music. He (Pucka Kayuba) is one of our reggae artistes and his music has been classified as inspirational. His advent on the charts now has been driving sales so far and is giving him a lot of exposure," said Shea, explaining that most of the music sales are generated from digital computer services and i-tunes buyers.

Pucka Kayuba's music, Shea explained, was also available on the Cdigix music on demand network, and on the Ruckus network, digital music services that provide music downloads to thousands of US college students through a susbscripton-based payment system.

In turn, Kayuba, whose given name is Barry Liston, is jubilated at the progress of his songs.

"I feel wonderful to know the songs are on the charts. It is good to know that years of hard work and struggles are finally paying off and bringing justice and satisfaction to my pent-up emotions, dreams and high expectations," an effusive Kayuba said. "It makes me believe nothing is impossible to accomplish in life. If you work hard you will achieve."

The philosophical Kayuba also expressed the hope that his conscious music would be an inspiration especially to Jamaican youths.

"I would like to inspire the youths to think positive - to look towards music, which I think is a medicine for the mind and an antidote against hopelessness. Many times what we hear is what we strive to become," he said.

Pucka Kayuba is currently working on his next album.

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