Jamaican reggae star Romain Virgo is set to share his fourth studio album, The Gentle Man, on March 1. The twelve-track project will be out digitally and on CD via VP Records.
The Gentle Man is Romain Virgo’s most candid body of work to date. The singer questions, deconstructs, and affirms his beliefs, sharing clear-eyed perspectives across a dozen tracks. He challenges what it means to be a man in Caribbean culture, explores the highs and lows of ‘Afromantic’ relationships, and, in the process, blends classic, foundational sounds with modern sonics.
“I kept some important questions in mind while working on this album. Who am I to my fans? To those close to me? To myself? People saw me go from this inexperienced youth with a gentle way of doing things to a man with the same morals, but new understanding. With this project, I present my full, authentic self. This is who I am,” said Romain Virgo.
With production credits from Donovan ‘Don Corleon’ Bennett, Oliver ‘Cadenza’ Rodigan, Phillip ‘Winta’ James, Romeich Major, Maurice ‘Seani B’ Delauney, Nicholas ‘Niko’ Browne, among others, The Gentle Man builds on Romain’s soul-stirring reggae palette, closing the gaps between roots reggae, lover’s rock, Afrobeats, and more.
He’s joined by dancehall phenom Masicka on the album opener, “Been There Before”; delivers a heartfelt tribute to single mothers with Nigerian reggae-fusionist Patoranking (“I Believe”); and closes out the album with hard-hitting features from the multi-generational Jamaican talents Jesse Royal (“Bridges”) and Capleton (“You Must Pay”).
Romain Virgo has dropped four singles in the lead-up to the album: “Good Woman,” “Driver,” “Switch You On,” and, most recently, “Been There Before.” The latest track was released on January 26.
In support of his upcoming album, Romain Virgo will perform in Jamaica in February, throughout the North-East and South of the United States in March, at several festivals across the Caribbean in April, and in Europe from June to August, including at Summerjam in Germany in July.
