Zella Dino turns fatherhood into musical lesson with ‘Choices’

Reggae artiste Zella Dino is using his latest single, Choices, to pass on the lessons he has learnt through his own mistakes and experiences, hoping to help his son and younger listeners avoid some of life’s harder lessons. The reflective track unfolds like a musical letter from father to child, with the veteran Jamaican artiste passing down wisdom earned through his own mistakes, struggles and experiences. For Zella Dino, the inspiration is intensely personal but the message extends far beyond his own family. "My love for my children and for all the younger generation on a whole,” he said of the song's inspiration. “If I knew then what I know now, I could have avoided so much personal mishaps. Knowledge is power.” That hindsight provides the emotional heartbeat of Choices. Rather than preaching from a pedestal, Zella Dino approaches the record as a father who has already travelled some difficult roads and wants the generation behind him to recognise the potholes before they fall into them. It fits neatly into a career built around conscious reggae, storytelling and positive messages. Born and raised in Jamaica, Zella Dino spent his early years in Kingston before moving to Waterford, Portmore, at age five. He later lived in Manchester, attending Ferguson All Age School and Decarteret College. Before music became his calling, football looked like a possible way forward. He represented Decarteret College in the DaCosta Cup before eventually relocating to the United States, where he continued playing in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area. Music, however, was never far away. During the late 1980s, Zella Dino moved in Jamaican entertainment circles that included rising reggae talents such as Tony Rebel and Garnet Silk. Following what he describes as a spiritual calling, Zella Dino returned to recording with a renewed emphasis on uplifting, socially conscious material. Songs including Wake Up Call, Squeaky Cleany, Skip Dem Out and Good Dayz have reflected that philosophy, while his career has taken him internationally, including performances in England and appearances alongside established reggae acts such as Sizzla, Capleton and Morgan Heritage Choices finds him drawing directly from perhaps his most important role yet—fatherhood. “This song is a reminder that experience may be a brutal teacher, but its lessons don't have to be wasted,” he said. A music video is already being planned for the single, while Zella Dino is also working on a new EP. The project is currently in production and could arrive by Christmas. “I have a lot of things to say, and I know the world is anxious to hear these songs,” he said.