Their new direction, as it pertains to their music and image, is to cross over into the pop market.

“We have been working assiduously on crossing over into the pop industry to become the first Jamaican group to be mainstream pop. We will still have the reggae influence, but it will gradually transform,” said Walters.

“We want to be the first Jamaican group to go into the mainstream pop market. Just as how the fastest man is from Jamaica, we want to make an impact on the global stage,” said Campbell.

“We, as Jamaicans, need to showcase more of the talents to show that we are not only about track and field, but we possess a multiplicity of talents,” he added.

One Third - Gladstone Taylor/ Photographer

The group said it has experienced significant growth since winning the Rising Stars competition.

“We have grown physically in terms of the maturity of our vocal ability, because things that we never dreamt that we could have delivered before we are doing. So now it is just to deliver some of this new material onstage,” said Campbell.

“Comparing Candlelight, which is our first single, to one of our newest songs, you will notice a significant change in how we sound,” he explained.

The members of the group are in love with music, and though they have been low-key over the past few years, that love has remained the driving force behind their continued effort. “Ah di only ting me know how fi do enuh? Mi cyaah even cook fi save mi life,” said Johnson.

Johnson is the guitarist, Walters is the drummer and Campbell is the songwriter.

Together, the trio has formed a powerful group which, though not yet the stars they intend, has performed across almost every stage in Jamaica, inspiring and impressing people.

Each member has his own style, but all three agree that image works well for One Third.

Johnson is the neat, sharp colourful, suave one, Walters brings with him a no-holds barred attitude where anything goes, while Campbell prefers simplicity.

“Pop is about fashion and you have to be fashionably loud, so we are going look at image closely and we are going to also pay close attention to danceable music. We are still going to have our reggae elements and our ballads,” said Johnson.

They group has appeared on several major events, including CVM TV’s Startime, Teensplash, Stars R Us, Irie Jamboree in New York, Jamaica Jerk Festival in Miami, Port Royal Music Festival, Cayman Island Independence Concert, the Mother’s Day concert ‘To Mom with Love’, along with Air Supply, Love On The Harbour with Peabo Bryson, and a number of other stellar calendar events.

The group also shared the stage with internationally known sensations such as The Manhattans, The Stylistics, The Chi-lites, Blue Magic, Brian McKnight, Regina Belle, Freddy Jackson, Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, Mr Vegas, Beenie Man, Luciano, Da’Ville, and Tarrus Riley.

As far as local acts with big international pull go, names like Beres Hammond, John Holt, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Yellowman, Gregory Isaacs and others have also had One Third along with them.

Source: jamaica-gleaner
Writer: Garfene Grandison