Ivey League Productions opens studio in Jamaica

UK-based music production company Ivey League Productions has spread its wings with the opening of a studio in Jamaica.

According to its owner, Laten Ivey, it is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and can produce a unique sound. Born in Jamaica, Ivey said that the studio is just one part of a lifelong dream to contribute to the local reggae and dancehall landscape.

"I pride myself as a Jamaican. Building or contributing to my country and its culture was always a goal of mine and I live for music and (so) I was inspired to make a significant mark in that industry," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The producer, who recently opened doors to his new studio in Lawrence Tavern, St Andrew, explained that the location was strategic. He wanted to take artistes out of the busy Corporate Area where many studios are already situated, while still meeting at the community level.

Ivey League Productions released its first official project on New Year's Eve 2021, the 'Better Days' rhythm which featured tracks from D'Yani, Nvasion, Kash Promise Move, SymFlo, Damian Highlyphe, Bad Boss and Mad Sam. Ivey believes having a physical spot on the island, in St Andrew, will benefit the label and production house to "unearth new talent and help with bringing multiple artistes together in the same place to be inspired by the same riddim".

"I want to bring back that juggling aspect that we are known for especially in dancehall. To be able to contribute to the future of some of Jamaica's most talented artistes and also encourage unity among them, is part of my mission," Ivey continued.

He said there have not been many challenges so far. Ivey shared that he decided to go into music in January 2021 when his nephew, Shemoy Hardware, passed away.

"The one thing I knew would be meaningful and offer the best tribute to my nephew was music. After I recorded Meet Again with SymFlo as a tribute to him, I had the urge to go into music full-time. The brand still has some work to do but it's building while growing. I'm thrilled to have been able to complete this phase of my music production journey, and we are more than ready to put in some real work in the coming year," Ivey said.

"The last riddim project did well, especially D'Yani's song titled Made For This. I'm willing to work with some new artistes, young and up-and-coming, and established ones. But I really just want to see what kind of musical magic will be created from the studio in Jamaica," he continued.