Jah Decko
From professional football to reggae, Jah Decko discusses his Surinamese roots, authentic musicianship, and the message of love, gratitude, and positivity behind his new album, Love Who Loves You Back.
1. Before dedicating yourself to music, you spent around 14 years as a professional footballer. What ultimately convinced you to leave that career behind and pursue reggae, and what lessons from football have stayed with you throughout your musical journey?
Music has always been a part of my life. It was something I loved, even during my years as a professional footballer. Music started as a hobby, but it was a passion that never left me. So when I decided to focus more on music, the transition felt very natural. It wasn’t really a difficult decision because music had always been there.
One of the most important lessons I took from football is the mentality of always trying to give your best. Whatever you do in life, you should approach it with dedication, discipline and the desire to improve. I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist, whether on the football field or in the recording studio. I try to get the best out of myself and put everything I have into what I do.
For me, that mindset connects football and music. They may be two different worlds, but the dedication and passion you need are very similar.
2. Your musical journey began in 2003 with Dreddayouthz, a project that incorporated Sranan Tongo into roots reggae. How important has your Surinamese heritage been in shaping your artistic identity, particularly while building your career in the Netherlands?
My Surinamese background is part of who I am, and naturally, it has a place in my music. One of the clearest influences is the use of Sranan Tongo, the language of Suriname.
With Dreddayouthz, we used Sranan Tongo as a way to express ourselves through roots reggae. It allowed us to bring something from our own background into the music while staying true to the roots reggae sound.
For me, reggae is a universal form of music. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what language you speak. What matters most is the message and the feeling behind the music.
3. Through Dredda Records, you’ve worked with artists such as Joggo, Ziggi Recado and Miriam Simone. How have those experiences as a producer influenced your approach to songwriting and recording your own music?
Working with different artists has always been an interesting experience, but it hasn’t really changed my own style of producing music. I’ve always stayed true to my own musical approach.
When producing for another artist, I focus on that artist’s identity, voice and musical direction. It’s about understanding what works best for them rather than trying to impose my own identity on their music.
When it comes to my own music, I have the freedom to choose the songs, melodies and arrangements that I personally connect with and that I feel suit my voice best.
So, although I’ve worked with different artists over the years, my own musical style has remained consistent. The main difference is that, as an artist, I can make every creative decision based on what feels right for me.
4. Your new album, Love Who Loves You Back, explores themes of love, gratitude, consciousness and positive energy. What inspired the album’s central message, and what do you hope listeners will take away from it?
We live in a society where so much attention is given to likes, hearts and recognition on social media. But sometimes I feel that people forget what really matters in life.
For me, love is still the essence of everything. It’s one of the most beautiful and positive emotions we can experience, and I believe it should always come first. Love brings happiness, peace and positive energy into our lives.
The title Love Who Loves You Back also comes from my own life experiences. Over time, you learn that love should go both ways. You shouldn’t keep giving your love and energy to someone who doesn’t appreciate or return it. It’s also about self-love, knowing your own worth and understanding where your love belongs.
That’s really the message I want to share. Life is already complicated enough, so I believe we should focus more on genuine love, positivity and the people who truly care about us.
If listeners can take that feeling away from my music, then I’ve achieved something meaningful.
5. You’ve emphasized the importance of authentic musicianship in an era increasingly dominated by digital production. How did that philosophy influence the sound and recording process of Love Who Loves You Back, particularly its lead single, “Sen Her Come”?
For me, the beauty of recording with real musicians is that you capture something natural and authentic. When you record live instruments, you inevitably come across imperfections and inconsistencies that need to be addressed during the mixing process.
But that’s also what makes it interesting. You’re working with a raw musical product, and the challenge is to polish it into something beautiful without losing its original character and live feeling.
That’s the approach we took with Love Who Loves You Back, including Sen Her Come. The idea was to preserve the natural sound and energy of the musicians while creating a well-balanced and professional final production.
I don’t feel the need to replace that human element with MIDI instruments or digital additions. For me, the real beauty lies in taking something raw and turning it into a polished recording while keeping the music alive and authentic.
6. After more than two decades in reggae, you’ve built a career that connects Suriname, the Netherlands and the international reggae community. Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for this new chapter, and what can fans expect from Jah Decko in the coming months?
Right now, my main focus is to continue promoting Love Who Loves You Back and make sure the album reaches as many people as possible.
For 2027, I’m hoping to do a number of good live shows where we can bring the music to the audience and give the album the attention it deserves.
I want to take the time to promote this project properly, enjoy the journey and see where it takes us. After that, we’ll move forward and see what comes next.
For me, it’s about taking things one step at a time and letting the music speak for itself.