JGM Pick of the Week: March 13, 2017

“Light Up the Darkness”
Andre Byrd
Independent release (March 2016)
www.andrebyrdonline.com

With “Light Up the Darkness,” Stamford, Connecticut, singer-songwriter Andre Byrd injects into song his call for direct social action.

To a hook-laden pop melody that shimmers with Shellback-style blasts of electronica, Byrd appeals to us to stop acting like mannequins, going along with whatever society tells us, and let our little light shine to make the world a better place.

Andre Byrd is a product of Jamaican-born parents who fostered within him a love for reggae as well as of traditional gospel. Growing up in the U.S., Byrd soaked up contemporary gospel and other styles, which he combines on this single. Byrd anticipates a summer 2017 release for his third studio album, Song of the Phoenix, which will include “Light Up the Darkness” and “Ugly Beautiful.”