Romain Virgo is a Jamaican reggae artist who undoubtedly has captured the hearts of many Kenyans, as well as an international audience.
He is an exceptionally talented performer with a strong voice and an incredible stage presence. On Friday he treated his Kenyan fans with an electrifying performance during Citizen TV's 10 over10 Show.
Here is a list of five things not known by many about him.
1. He won Sh1 Million while still in high school In 2007, Romain Virgo made history as the youngest contestant ever to win Digicel Rising Stars, a Jamaica's talent competition, at the age of 17. The top prize at this competition was 1,000,000 Jamaica dollars (equivalent to Sh1 million) and a recording contract. At this time, he was doing his final year exams in high school.
2. Has been in University for nine years without graduating. Virgo enrolled at the Edna Manley College, Kingston in 2008 to pursue a five year Bachelor's degree in Visual and Performing Arts, but to date he is yet to graduate. Last year, when asked what has took him that long to complete his studies, he said his demanding music career has kept him out of class.
"To be honest balancing school and a music career can be rough at times; it's certainly not easy. I miss out on classes all the time, but at this moment my musical career is really demanding my attention. I can always return to school, but if I don't pay attention to my music career that side of things could be over in a flash," he told soulculture.com.
3. Used to be in a church choir. Romain Virgo started singing in his local church choir as a youngster after his talent was spotted by his parents who are also singers. In high school, he became lead vocalist of the school’s choir, with whom he finished runners-up on Jamaica’s nationally televised competition, All Together, in 2006.
4. Loves dark-skinned girls. Virgo says he prefers women who keep it black. He has song called 'Dark Skin Girl' in which he urges black women to always be proud of themselves.
“When I see a black woman I see beauty. I would never change my skin color for anything in the world,” he told Pulse last week.
5. Romain Virgo is his birth certificate name Unlike other artists who use different names for stage, Virgo uses his real name given at birth.
He is born in a christian family and attended church from a very tender age.
Romain Virgo Facebook.