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.”
Name And Number
Jaicko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh the way you looking when you standing in the corner it takes over me
And i can tell by the way looking baby girl you wanna get to know me
Not really checking for the love tonight i just wanna have fun
But you really made me change my mind when the music begun.
BRIDGE:
I gotta say,
CHORUS:
Give me your name and your number, we can talk all night if you wanna, baby i can do some things that make you wonder if you just give me your name and your number x2
Ooh everybodys checking and im checking so i gotta make my move (gotta make my move)
No body can do you like me i got something to prove
Girl i promise ima do you right, Every things gonna be alright But you really made me loose my mind when you doing that whind.
BRIDGE:
I gotta say,
Oh lord i like the way you do, swinging up and down in them high heeled boots and ooh girl you know you look cute, tell me what you like and i'll give it to you.
CHORUS:
Give me your name and your number, we can talk all night if you wanna, baby i can do some things that make you wonder if you just give me your name and your number x2
I came with a plan you must understand to party with my crew and keep a drink in my hand then i spot her got her eyes then i lock her ooh baby then she try but she couldn't look away baby its okay you've never seen a star but you see him once a day and by far you are the hottest girl in the room i like the way you move i like the way you do
Oooh i like the way you do swinging up and down in them high heeled boots and ooh girl you know you look cute tell me what you like and i'll giveit to youuuuu
CHORUS:
Give me your name and your number, we can talk all night if you wanna, baby i can do some things that make you wonder if you just give me your name and your number x3
In Jaicko's song "Name and Number," the singer expresses his immediate attraction towards a girl standing in the corner. He notices her body language and can tell that she wants to get to know him too. Although he wasn't initially interested in finding love that night, the girl's presence and dancing completely changed his mind. The singer wants to know her name and number so that they can get to know each other better, spend the night talking, and possibly do things that make her wonder.
In the bridge, the singer compliments the girl's appearance, telling her that he likes the way she looks in her high-heeled boots. He tells her that he is willing to give her whatever she likes, suggesting a willingness to satisfy her needs in the hopes of winning her over. He views her as a challenge and hopes to prove to her that he can give her something that no one else can.
Overall, the lyrics to "Name and Number" are about the initial stage of attraction between two people. The singer wants to get to know the girl better and is willing to do whatever it takes to make her interested in him.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah x11
Repetition of 'Yeah' to indicate enthusiasm and excitement for the events that are about to unfold.
Ooh the way you looking when you standing in the corner it takes over me
Jaicko is attracted to the girl in the corner and her appearance overwhelms him.
And i can tell by the way looking baby girl you wanna get to know me
Jaicko can sense from the girl's body language that she is interested in him and wants to get to know him.
Not really checking for the love tonight i just wanna have fun
Jaicko is not looking for a serious relationship and is only interested in having a good time.
But you really made me change my mind when the music begun.
The girl's presence and the music have caused Jaicko to reconsider his intentions for the night.
BRIDGE: I gotta say, Oh lord i like the way you do, swinging up and down in them high heeled boots and ooh girl you know you look cute, tell me what you like and i'll give it to you.
Jaicko admires the girl's appearance and offers to fulfill her desires.
CHORUS: Give me your name and your number, we can talk all night if you wanna, baby i can do some things that make you wonder if you just give me your name and your number x2
Jaicko is asking for the girl's contact information and promising to make the night memorable if she agrees.
Ooh everybodys checking and im checking so i gotta make my move (gotta make my move)
Jaicko notices that everyone is trying to get with the girl and decides he needs to make a move before it's too late.
No body can do you like me i got something to prove
Jaicko is confident in his abilities to please the girl and wants to prove it.
Girl i promise ima do you right, Every things gonna be alright
Jaicko assures the girl that he will treat her well and make sure she has a good time.
But you really made me loose my mind when you doing that whind.
The girl's dance moves have made Jaicko go crazy for her.
I came with a plan you must understand to party with my crew and keep a drink in my hand
Jaicko came to the party with the intention of having a good time with his friends and drinking.
then i spot her got her eyes then i lock her ooh baby then she try but she couldn't look away
Jaicko notices the girl and makes eye contact with her, causing her to be interested in him as well.
baby its okay you've never seen a star but you see him once a day
Jaicko compares himself to a star that the girl may have never seen before, but now she sees him.
and by far you are the hottest girl in the room i like the way you move i like the way you do
Jaicko is very attracted to the girl and enjoys her dancing and movements.
CHORUS: Give me your name and your number, we can talk all night if you wanna, baby i can do some things that make you wonder if you just give me your name and your number x3
Jaicko is reiterating his request for the girl's contact information and promising to make the night unforgettable.
Contributed by Aiden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.