Valiant ignites D’After Mas at UWI

Following some controversy ahead of his first performance on the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Valiant delivered an energetic set on Saturday during D'After Mas that followed the Ring Road march, one of the campus' carnival activities.

Not only flexing his vocal abilities, but also showcasing his dancing prowess, the topical dancehall artiste was arguably the highlight of the evening as he delivered his popular hits to the captivated audience, much to their delight. Speaking with THE STAR following the show, Valiant said he had a great time onstage interacting with his fans.

"I got an amazing response and every show the interaction with the crowd makes performing for them more rewarding. I am thankful always for the love shown and so I always try to exceed expectations," he shared. "We incorporated local dancers into my set, Pataskeng, Snow, Ackeme the TikTok Boss, Gabbidon and you know my DJ, DJ Biigy always on point. Really, it's a natural vibration so every performance [is] different. The energy given creates a different vibe so half the time it's not a planned thing. The stage is big enough to share so from you on stage and you have talent, my set is open and that's what creates the difference each and every time."

Last week, Valiant made headlines following an opinion piece that questioned his relevance at the event. However, Sammar Reid, principal of Campus Elite, which served as the organising body of the event, said that Valiant was the right choice for the return of the carnival on the campus.

"Looking at the market, there were a few factors there, one of course being pull, attention grabbing. You know Valiant is one of the top artistes now, appealing to the demographic that we are trying to reach. On top of that, he has never performed at the UWI Mona before. We wanted him there to pull that crowd. Carnival has been out for the last two or three years and we wanted more reasons for those who had never experienced it to come out and Valiant was certainly a plus," he said.

Other performances came from Stalk Ashley and Razor B who also had the crowd hyped even after the hours of revelling.

Valiant said he is focused on continuing to prove himself in the industry.

"There's a saying, 'You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks'. It's about continuously moving and proving. They will hate you today and love you tomorrow, so life go. I focus on those who are showing me love by working harder every day. That's what I focus on. I have a great team that keeps me motivated. I have people willing for me to be at my greatest, nothing else is important. People will always have something to say, it's how you react that defines you. My actions spoke Saturday night," he said.