‘Lead us into brighter days’

“You’ll never leave us or forsake us, so lead us into brighter days.”

Those words, simple yet profound, became the heartbeat of recording artiste Christopher Morris, better known as Chris Malachi, and his latest release, Brighter Days. Penned just before Hurricane Melissa ravaged Jamaica, the lyric has since taken on a life of its own — echoing both faith and resilience.

A day before the hurricane made landfall, as forecasts revealed its growing strength, Malachi recalled a sudden shift in mood. “The day before Melissa hit, when the full information was coming in about how strong it was going to be, my mood changed from being a bit nonchalant a few days before to just feeling total heaviness and dread. I couldn’t shake it,” he shared.

The next morning, though, something shifted. He woke up to the sound of his parents praying in their room. He was sure they were just as fearful as he was, yet in the midst of that, they called on God. His father’s words stayed with him: “Lord, keep us under your divine protection. I pray that you would shift the storm in its path, and if it’s your will for it to come to us, I pray that you’ll take us through it.”

Seeing their faith in the middle of fear reminded Malachi to do the same – to anchor himself even in uncertainty – and inspired him to create something that could help others stay grounded in that mindset.

For Malachi, music has always been home. Long before his first single dropped in 2019, the Stony Hill native was deep in it – learning piano, singing in church, performing in choirs and creative groups. But it wasn’t until later that he realised it was more than talent.

“I took this path because I understand the power that music has to bring people together,” he said. “And I believe I have something unique enough to devote my time and talent to making an impact.”

Five years on, that same conviction is still there. Back in 2020, he told The Sunday Gleaner that he wanted to make “good and honest” music. Ask him now if he’s stayed true to that, and the answer comes without hesitation: “Definitely. Even more so now. I’ve been learning to make sure that I mean every single word I write. The music lives forever, so I always want it to be real.”

That commitment to authenticity became even more important when Hurricane Melissa approached. The words for Brighter Days came quickly, but turning them into a finished song was a completely new challenge for Malachi. “The words just took a few minutes to write, but it took a whole week of learning how to record myself, process and produce my vocals, mix and master the song all by myself for the very first time,” he said.

Malachi first shared a rough version of the song on the Monday night before the storm on his Instagram, and the response from listeners inspired him to refine it and bring in his friend Omari Harris to create visuals. They linked up the day after the storm and completed everything quickly, turning the project into something deeply personal and meaningful. “It was a real labour of love, and I feel blessed that everything worked out so well and is resonating so deeply right now.”

Beyond music, he has taken action in communities affected by Hurricane Melissa, helping distribute food with the Salvation Army, organising clothing drives at The Summit, supporting donation efforts during last week’s Tuesday Service, and delivering care packages in Balaclava, St Elizabeth.

“I want to keep doing more and more because I truly believe this type of active solidarity is what will build the country back to where it needs to be, and I hope it instils a stronger, deeper, more active sense of unity in all of us,” he added.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com