It’s an intriguing tale, the rebel with a cause. But 17-year-old Jaicko [pronounced Jay-ko], has long been the author of his own destiny. Though he’s matter-of-fact about his forthcoming album on Capitol Records –“It’s life through the eyes of a 17-year-old”– this is an artist with a lot to say.
In fact, the native of Barbados is very much culling the classic American story: an immigrant who comes to our shores armed only with the best intents and an idea he believes has currency. The plan: “Caribbean-infused music: it’s a bit of Barbados brought to America. Music fans will want to listen to me all day. Caribbean fans will want to listen to me all day.” In this vein, Jaicko is a far cry from the current wave of teenybopper talents; no skin-deep musical charlatan, he writes and produces much of his own music. He and his father Phillip Forrester, a longtime nightclub musician in Barbados, comprise a formidable songwriting duo. “My dad has always been a good friend, and a creative partner, so it’s never really been difficult to work as a father and son team,” Jaicko notes. “We write a lot of our songs together; most of the songs that got me my deal were songs we wrote and produced.” Indeed, under Phillip’s tutelage, Jaicko has been performing on stage since the tender age of nine. Yes, nine. And recording in studios since age ten. So while a 17-year-old’s gripes about the struggles inherent in the music industry may at first warrant a sidelong glance, further inspection reveals an earnest and unfazed artist.
“Around that time I was actually rapping,” he reveals. “I always knew I could sing but I never took it seriously. Back then, if you were a rapper, you couldn’t be a singer. That’s changing now though.” Jaicko first stepped onto the stage at a club called the Ship In, one of many establishments lining the famed St. Lawrence Gap, a hub of Barbadian culture and nightlife. Response was instant and unilateral. Jaicko went on to cut an independent album that sold 6,000 copies islandwide—“a good number,” he reminds, “considering our population is under 300,000 people.” Jaicko scaled the nation’s two Top 40 radio stations, “sandwiched between Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z,” he jokes. He opened for Ne-Yo when the latter made a tour stop in Barbados. Jaicko has also been nominated for numerous Barbados Music Awards, including five last year, often pitted in the same category as breakout Barbadian Rihanna.
Indeed, the island queen has quickly become the face of the small Caribbean nation. And her exploits are respected both home and abroad: “We were always seen as apart from the rest of the world,” Jaicko asserts. “It almost seemed impossible for a Barbadian artist to get a record deal. I was pursuing this before Rihanna, but seeing her success made me believe more I could do it, it removed whatever doubt was there.”
In looking at Jaicko, doubt seems a foreign concept. In hearing his music, it’s a word utterly stricken from the lexicon. He’s concocted an intoxicating island brew that washes over the listener as readily as a Caribbean swell. Leading the charge is “Oh Yeah,” an effervescent anthem boasting an infectious hook and Jaicko’s tongue-in-cheek sensibilities. The bouncing beat + Jaicko’s lightly-lilted vocals = this song is a no-doubter.
Also of note is the throbbing sing-song “Two Piece,” orchestrated by the talented production team Stargate (Ne-Yo, Beyonce). Gifted writer Robert Allen (Chris Brown, Rihanna’s “Disturbia”) contributes the smoothly sweet lyrics and deft hook. Jaicko describes the ditty thusly: “We don’t need all the fancy things in life, all the glitz and glamour, to be happy. All we need is each other.” Seems a good theme to adopt given the state of the economy. Look also for the driving “Will You Be There?” from the artful hands of producer Jim Jonsin (Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop”) and Wayne Wilkens. Jaicko flexes his silver pipes while invoking what he terms the song’s double meaning: “Will you be there when the darkness covers the sky/Will you be there when the Earth stands still and there’s nothing left but pride.” A disciple of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, Jaicko is intent on infusing his music with sophistication and sentiment. “Will You Be There?” stands as ample testament.
More battle cry than waxing ballad, “Can I” is Jaicko’s most personal offering. It’s also marvelously catchy and yet mature. The surging chorus brims with uplift. “I really express myself in “Can I,” he notes. “It’s the story of my coming here, being here—my struggle with broken promises in music and in my personal life. That song speaks most to me. I was in a frustrated place when I wrote it; the whole song was an accident. We were working on something else, and my father stepped out for a few minutes, and in that time I wrote this song. The beat itself tells a story; the beat indicates what the song is going to talk about. The beat inspired me to write my own story. It was a marriage between my emotion and the music.”
Indeed, Jaicko personifies harmony: between cultures, genres, ages, genders. His particular brand of music is set to shove aside the driftwood on American airwaves. “My lane,” he grins, “is wide open. This is something that I have been trying to do for years, to break out internationally. I built a fanbase back in Barbados so it’s a good feeling to take to the States and the rest of the world now.” Soon, the rest of the world will know that very good feeling, too.”
FFWD
Jaicko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Skip the walks in the park I wanna carry ya
Back to our own place dont wanna waste another day
Already know what you mean to me
I like the things you like
You like the things I like
So dont hesitate tonight
You like the things i do
So come on and come on and lets go
Fast forward into the future
Cus i could spend forever with you
Fast forward into our destiny
Cus theres so many things we could do
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons F.F.W.D.
Sometimes it gets kinda hard to see the future
But i dont think we could fall any deeper
Im gonna tell you once Im gonna tell you twice dont let this slip away
So baby press my green button and make tomorrow today
I like the things you like
You like the things I like
So dont hesitate tonight
I like the things you like
You like the things i do
So come on and come on and lets go
Fast forward into the future
Cus i could spend forever with you
Fast forward into our destiny
Cus theres so many things we could do
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons F.F.W.D.
If you push my buttons
If you push my buttons(oh right)
If you push my buttons
If you push my buttons F.F.W.D
Fast forward into the future
Cus i could spend forever with you
Fast forward into our destiny
Cus theres so many things we could do
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you push my buttons F.F.W.D.
The lyrics of Jaicko's song "FFWD" express a desire to fast forward through the beginning stages of a relationship and skip straight to marriage. The singer longs to be with their partner in their own place, and they see their future together with optimism and excitement. They feel a strong connection with their partner and share common interests and likes.
The chorus emphasizes the desire to move forward quickly and experience all the things they could do as a couple if they push each other's buttons and take the next step. The singer encourages their partner to take action and make tomorrow today by pressing their green button, which could represent a metaphor for taking a chance on their relationship.
Overall, the song expresses a sense of urgency and the desire to make the most of the time they have together, emphasizing the importance of seizing the moment and pursuing a future together.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish that we could skip to the part when we was married up,
I desire to jump ahead to the time when we are already married
Skip the walks in the park I wanna carry ya
I want to avoid the usual activities and just carry you with me
Back to our own place dont wanna waste another day
Let's return to our own place and not waste any more time
Already know what you mean to me
I already understand how much you mean to me
I like the things you like
I enjoy the things you enjoy
You like the things I like
You enjoy the things I enjoy
So dont hesitate tonight
Don't be afraid to act on it tonight
Fast forward into the future
Let's speed things up and get to the future
Cus i could spend forever with you
I want to spend eternity with you
Fast forward into our destiny
Let's fast forward to where our destiny lies
Cus theres so many things we could do
There are so many things we can do together
If you push my buttons we can go to the next scene
If you act on my desires, we can do more things together
Sometimes it gets kinda hard to see the future
Sometimes it's difficult to envision the future
But i dont think we could fall any deeper
But I don't believe we could become any closer than we already are
Im gonna tell you once Im gonna tell you twice dont let this slip away
I am going to remind you repeatedly to not let this opportunity pass us by
So baby press my green button and make tomorrow today
So please take action and follow my lead to make our future start today
If you push my buttons(oh right)
If you act on my desires (oh right)
If you push my buttons F.F.W.D.
If you act on my desires to fast forward our relationship
Writer(s): Marrone Ryan, Smith Garrick Duane Joseph, Lawrence Jaicko Raphael, Forrester Phillip
Contributed by Chloe H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@FAShaineBuhat
2020 and still listening to this song! Wish we can go Fast Forward! 👊🏻
@sonyachea6613
2023 in less than 4 days & I still play this 💕
@JaickoLawrenceOfficial
❤️
@TNT-tk9wm
Anybody in 2019?
@iRaazi
TNT yup
@kareemhatem3428
Oh yeah
@typicaltechlifettl2903
I just remembered the chorus to this song all of a sudden.
@Willy2DaG
What ever happened to this guy? I used to listen to this all the time!
@daieshalindsey
Me too!
@arabiabey5928
I still love this song in 2018