Singing Melody is the stage name of Everton Hardweare, a
Jamaican reggae singer and producer whose music has long sat at the
intersection of roots reggae and smooth R&B. Born in Kingston,
he emerged in the late 1980s and built his reputation on a polished
vocal style that could move easily between lovers rock, reggae
covers, and contemporary dancehall. Early in his career he worked
with King Tubby, who produced his first single, “Tie Me,” before
Steely & Clevie helped push him into wider recognition with “Shower
Me With Your Love,” a reggae version of the Surface ballad.
Melody’s profile grew further in the 1990s with “Sayonara Tokyo,” a
Japanese-language release that gave him an unusual international
reach and led to more recording opportunities. His debut album,
Original, arrived in 1992, followed by Sweeter in 1999, the record
that helped establish him as one of the more distinctive male
voices in Jamaican reggae at the time. “Want You Back” became one
of his best-known songs and broadened his audience beyond the
island, while later albums such as Expressions and They Call Me Mr.
Melody showed how comfortably he could balance romantic songwriting
with a modern reggae framework.
Alongside his solo work, Singing Melody became known for
collaboration and production. He formed the group L.U.S.T. with
Tony Curtis, Lukie D, and Thriller U, and the project’s
harmony-driven sound gave another dimension to his career. He also
launched S.H.E.M. Music Productions and worked with other artists,
extending his role from vocalist to behind-the-scenes contributor.
That combination of smooth delivery, crossover instincts, and
steady output has kept Singing Melody a familiar name in reggae for
more than three decades.
