Wayne Wonder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wayne Wonder
Wonder performing in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Von Wayne Charles
Born	(1972-07-26) 26 July 1972 (age 53) Buff Bay, Portland, Jamaica
Origin	Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Dancehall reggae fusion hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1985–present
Labels	VP Records

Von Wayne Charles (born on July 26, 1972), known as Wayne Wonder, is a famous Jamaican singer. He sings reggae and dancehall music. His biggest song is "No Letting Go", which was a huge hit in 2003.

Wayne Wonder's Music Journey

Early Life and Music Start

Wayne Wonder was born in Buff Bay, Portland, Jamaica. As a child, he loved to sing in Sunday school. He went to Camperdown High School in eastern Kingston.

Wayne started writing songs when he was just 13 years old. He got a big chance to perform regularly at a place called Metro Media in Allman Town. This helped him begin his music career.

First Steps in Music

Wayne tried out at Sonic Sounds studio. A famous musician named Sly Dunbar was impressed by him. However, Sly was busy touring and could not sign Wayne at that time.

Wayne had more luck with King Tubby, a well-known producer. King Tubby produced Wayne's first song, "Long and Lasting Love," in 1985. Two more songs followed after that.

Challenges and New Partnerships

Wayne's music journey faced a challenge when King Tubby passed away in 1988. After this, Wayne recorded for other producers at Sonic Sound. He had another hit song called "It's Over Now." This led to his first album, One More Chance.

Things got much better when Wayne started working with Dave Kelly. Dave was a friend from primary school and became a sound engineer at Penthouse Studios. Their teamwork led to many hit songs, starting with "Saddest Day." They also worked on Wayne's second album, Part 2.

Growing Success and New Sounds

In 1992, Wayne toured the UK with other Penthouse stars. These included Marcia Griffiths, Tony Rebel, and Buju Banton. Wayne also formed a music group called Alias with Dave Kelly and other artists. Later, he formed another group called Entourage.

In 2000, Wayne Wonder started his own music company called Singso. His album Da Vibe, released in 2000, showed a new direction. He began to mix hip hop sounds into his reggae style. He worked with artists like Jason Dalyrimple, Foxy Brown, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. His 2001 album, Schizophrenic, continued this blend of hip hop and reggae.

Worldwide Fame

Wayne Wonder's career became globally famous when he signed with Atlantic Records. In 2003, his song "No Letting Go" became a huge hit around the world. This song used a popular beat called the Diwali riddim. Other artists like Sean Paul and Lumidee also used this beat.

"No Letting Go" reached number 11 in the US and number 3 in the UK. The song and his album No Holding Back were very popular on radio stations in the US. This success led to the release of older Wayne Wonder songs in new collections. One such collection was Inna Bashment Style: The Roots Of An Urban Warrior in 2005.

Recent Music

Wayne Wonder released his album Foreva in 2007. This album reached number 6 on the US Top Reggae Albums chart. His album My Way came out in December 2012. Wayne Wonder continues to make music and perform for his fans.

Wayne Wonder's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Collection Albums

Hit Songs (Singles)