I Octane - Biography

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Bestowed with the task of setting the pace for the next generation of troubadours, smooth Rastafarian singer I-Octane has amassed an impressive slew of hits songs in a few short years, has skillfully positioned himself as an ambassador of culture/reality/message music, while maintaining a strong appeal in the dancehall, where his songs have become anthems. Possessing a clean image and keeping his standards consistently high, I-Octane has endeared himself to fans the world over, while simultaneously breaking the proverbial glass ceiling and making steady inroads into the corporate arena. It came as no surprise, therefore, when telecoms giant, Digicel, signed him in 2010 as their official Brand Ambassador, a role he enjoys tremendously and executes with care and diligence. As a measure of his influence outside of Jamaica, the internationally acclaimed singer was signed as the ‘voice’ of hugely popular brew, Guinness, within the Caribbean, and more recently tied up a deal with the Caribbean’s favourite soft drink, Busta, as their Brand Ambassador.

With only a five-year stint in the industry he is already being compared to some of the legends in reggae. Before he became known to the world as I-Octane, young Byiome Muir was just another youth growing up in Sandy Bay, Clarendon with big dreams. He earned the reputation of being a noisy little boy who was constantly belting out a tune, much to the annoyance of his mother and siblings. Despite his blossoming reputation as a talented singer, Muir still didn’t consider performing professionally as a viable career choice, as he had to take on the role of ‘man of the house’ and focused on helping his mother raise his brothers and sister. Byiome had an aptitude for the sciences and technical drawing and actually considered becoming an architect but he couldn’t seem to escape the call of the music. Upon completing high school, he took the plunge into the music industry and very soon, an upcoming dancehall artiste named Richie Rich was introduced to famed producer Donovan Germaine of Penthouse Records. Spending time at Penthouse and rubbing shoulders with more established artistes such as Buju Banton and Tony Rebel gave him the opportunity to hone his talent and focus on his musical path.

Three years after linking with Penthouse, I-Octane caught the interest of Arrows Recording Company and, upon signing, steadily transitioned from dancehall music to a more cultural vibe and his first hit single Stab Vampire cemented his position as a notable reggae artiste. Not surprisingly, that song went to number one and received the award for Video of the Year at the Excellence in Music Awards. I-Octane put out hit after hit, winning over skeptics and gaining many new fans with songs such as Different Page, Hurt Mi, and Mama You Alone. In no time I-Octane was performing to his international fan base on his first European tour. The year 2012 was a landmark in the career of the singer. It saw the release of his debut album, Crying To The Nation, a production infused with roots reggae and dancehall at its purest.

Extensive touring within the Caribbean, Europe and Asia has paid off handsomely for I-Octane and 2013 has started out with a bang – songs at the top of the charts, copping the Youth View Awards for Cultural Artiste of the Year and Celebrity Role Model of the Year (for which he tied with Olympian Usain Bolt), the partnership with Busta and a high school tour extolling the virtues of education, as laid out in his recent single of the same name.