Believe in the island vibe

"My goal is to show China a little bit more of what the Bahamas has to offer musically," Believe says. "I'm just enabling the audience to get immersed in the Bahamianculture and showcasing who I really am."

The music he performs is "Junkanoo Pop" which originated from the regional Caribbean Junkanoo and Soca forms of music. Believe has infused the traditional music style with pop music to create what he refers to as "international Junkanoo music".

At the Rosewood Beijing, Believe debuted his new single Jump and Wine alongside Angelique Sabrina, also a Caribbean singer and performer.

Having grown up in the Bahamas together, Sabrina sees Believe as a big brother, as well as a writing partner and mentor. "We have had a really collaborative relationship. His voice is super soulful and he has a lot of emotion."

A remix of his single Caribbean Slide, which won him the Bahamian Icon Award for most popular song in 2014, Jump and Wine is a track off Believe's new album. "It took me about two years to come up with my album," he explains. "Now that it is ready, I came back here so China could be the first place to hear this music before the rest of the world."

The original song, Caribbean Slide, was also performed during Believe's first visit to China two years ago, at the 2015 Miss World Pageant held in Sanya, Hainan province, where he introduced his Junkanoo Pop to a thousands-strong live audience and millions of viewers on TV.

Believe found many similarities between the Bahamas and the city of Sanya, which share a similar tropical environment and idyllic lifestyle. "Sanya almost felt like home, with the same food and the coconuts. I just had a grand time and I loved it," Believe says.

Believe also identifies similarities between the music of his native Bahamas and that of China. "Caribbean music is very happy, very free. Chinese music has that same vibe. In Chinese music, you hear the sentiments of Caribbean culture."