EXCLUSIVE Sting has agreed to perform at the Grammy Awards Sunday. And we don’t have to wait anymore for the official release of Sting’s new single with Shaggy. The guys are dropping the incredibly catchy “Don’t Make Me Wait” this morning, and it’s a helluva hot song. They performed it in Jamaica two weeks ago at Shaggy’s charity event, but this is the finished deal. I got to hear it yesterday for the first time and now it’s stuck in my head.
The other big news is that a reggae-pop album has grown out of this song. The duo will release it on April 20th, and I can tell you the songs are fun and serious at the same time, with gorgeous rich melodies and grooves that marry Sting’s bass with great Jamaican musicians like Robbie Shakespeare.
The pairing of Sting with Shaggy wasn’t obvious but then again, maybe it was. Shaggy has loads of hits around the world, but one– “It Wasn’t Me”– that has transcended the 18 years since its release. In the reggae world, he’s revered. Sting’s early work with the Police is full of reggae overtones that make songs like “So Lonely” and “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” classic rock staples. What I heard of them together– and I it was a lot–about eight of the 12 to 16 final tracks– are going to blow everyone away.
By the way, wasn’t it just a minute ago that Sting released a new solo album with “57 and 9th”? He’ll turn 67 this year and is prolific as ever. New songs are pouring out of him. A stripped down version of his Broadway musical “The Last Ship” opens in Newcastle, England (where it’s set) in March, then heads to London’s West End. We should all be so productive! Bravo!
photo credit: Salvador Ochoa
Live “Don’t Make Me Wait”
