When the JUNO Awards honouring Canadian music achievements are held May 16, a performer with ties to Yorkton, will be hoping to hear his name called.
K-Anthony, (Kevin Anthony Fowler), who was born in Jamaica but has spent time in Yorkton, has been nominated for the 2021 JUNO Awards in the category of, Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year for his album titled, ‘The Cure’.
It is K-Anthony’s first JUNO Awards nomination.
“It is also the first time that a Jamaican native has been nominated in this category of the JUNO Awards, so it is such a great honor and achievement for Jamaica and especially for K-Anthony,” said Sharon Rurak, of Yorkton who is part of the musician’s management team.
K-Anthony moved to Yorkton in 2013 with his wife Kamelia who was a nurse at Yorkton Regional Health Centre and with their daughter Nia.
The nomination was not exactly expected.
“I was very surprised by the JUNO nomination,” K-Anthony told Yorkton This Week via email. “This is a far way from where I first started from . . .
“In terms of my career, it is a major boost in my outlook of my music. I do see where there are people who are interested in the music and the message of the music that I bring, so of course I am encouraged to continue putting out this music.”
The nomination is good for the career moving forward, and a win would be even bigger.
“A win would mean that my music is valued at that high standard, which is a great honour for me,” said K-Anthony. “It also would give me a larger platform on which to share my music and also a larger audience I am hoping. I would like many people to hear my music. This is why I do what I do - - - the audience.”
As for Rurak, she met K-Anthony in Yorkton in the fall of 2015 and begun working with him shortly after.
“During their time here, K-Anthony and his wife had a son, Noah,” noted Rurak. “They moved to the state of Virginia in the US in 2017 to pursue K-Anthony’s music career. They have since had another daughter named Nyla.”
K-Anthony was recording music while he was in Yorkton.
“He shot a few music videos while living here and also released an EP titled, ‘Tomorrow You May Not’,” explained Rurak, adding “K-Anthony hosted a concert at Yorkton Dream Centre back in September of 2015. His music recordings were completed at Pulse Studios in Saskatoon and Blue Door in Regina.”
K-Anthony said Yorkton was an influence in his career.
“Yes, my time in Yorkton definitely did influence my music,” he offered. “I recorded a few songs while living in Yorkton and I also trace the inspiration of a few other songs back to my time in Yorkton.
“It is a beautiful place to live. It is close to nature and people are easy going.”
Rurak said after attending the concert at the Yorkton Dream Centre they began working together to shoot a video titled, ‘Tomorrow You May Not’.
“I have always enjoyed this type of work and so after completing the video shoot and searching out music recording studios in the province, I signed a two-year contract as K-Anthony’s manager,” she said. “Since that time we have continued to work together and I am now in the process of starting up my own PR (Public Relations) business which is called, Vision PR Solutions, and I have continued working with K-Anthony in that aspect.
“My goal is to fill my portfolio with more music artists and other promotional/public relations work that may arise. I have been in contact with other potential artists and public speakers and I am very excited to see where this road may lead. Everyone has a ‘hobby’ that they really enjoy doing, and this happens to be mine.”
The single titled, ‘The Cure’ -- “a gritty, emotional tune that is cast on the backdrop of the real life struggles we face as individuals”, noted www.ccmmagazine.com-- was released Nov. 22, 2019.
K-Anthony also recently released ‘FREE’.
“The melody reaches your heart and brings you a sense of inner peace. K-Anthony's music has been such an inspiration to so many people. It's that kind of music that gives you goosebumps as the words resonate with you.”
For K-Anthony music has always been part of his life.
“I was always interested in music,” he said.
“Growing up in the church, my experience with music began with taking old hymns and arranging them to music.
“I actually went on to study music in University. I completed a degree in music and this covered classical music but of course my liking was gospel.”
Gospel remains the major influence in his work, but with a few additions.
“My musical influence comes from old gospel music to rhythm and blues and old reggae and contemporary Christian music,” said K-Anthony.
So what is next for the artist?
“I would like to begin work on a full length album,” said K-Anthony. “The aim is to build a catalogue of work of high quality gospel music.
“I am a Christian gospel artist with an old message to deliver in new ways and to as many people as I can.
“I would say I also want to have longevity. I see myself doing music for a long time, and so I would like to become better and better as an artist as well as a person.”
