Distinctive Australian reggae artist, singer and songwriter Sunny Dread began his career in the early 1990’s, attracting his first fans around clubs and venues in all major Australian cities. In 2004 he entered Australian Idol where he made “the most memorable and unforgettable” performance with his cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’. Soon after, Sunny recorded a single, ‘Never stop Singing’, which remained the third most popular music hit on Australian radio until 2006. Sunny then decided to move to the Australian outback and work in remote areas, teaching Indigenous youth about Rastafarian values and music. The Indigenous culture became one of Sunny’s most passionate influences and is heard through the lyrics of his music. Sunny’s performances are charged with high energy and fervour and whilst following the roots of Jamaican original Ska and Rocksteady reggae, his songs are shaped by his Australian experience. With his own inimitable style, Sunny’s music entices audiences of all ages, gender, or ethnicity with its spiritual core. Whilst the lyrics of Sunny’s songs denote the struggle with poverty, politics, and oppression, following the footsteps of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown, they also promote positive vibrations, peace, and righteous living. Always lively, Sunny’s performances are engaging and memorable.
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Sunny is based in Brisbane, Australia. It was here, in 2008, where he worked with the West End Jah Army and World Beat, Rudekat Records and Tanuki Lounge and where he performed and hosted many compilations at popular festivals, such as Island Vibes and the Kuranda Roots Festival (2008-2010). He produced the hit ‘You Can’t Say (Music)’, joined Dynamic Trills and in 2010 as their lead vocalist, he dropped a teaser album titled ‘Guide and Bless’, recorded in Melbourne, Australia at the Multicultural Center Studio featuring Luciano, Micky General, Horace Andy and Jack Scorpio. In 2012 Sunny was honoured by Arts Queensland to record in Jamaica at the Oxygen Studios run by Bunny Wailer Studios (Jack Scorpio Yard, Kingston Jamaica) with Richie Spice and Snatcha Lion. The recording resulted in a song called ‘My own’ which became the title of another album, featuring artists such as Kingfisher, Dub Marine, Bobby Alu and The Beautiful Girls, released by Rudekat Records/Vita Records/Tanuki Lounge in Brisbane. Throughout 2012-2016 Sunny performed, took part in recordings, “The Best of Sunny Dread”, “Ragga Junk” and worked professionally with cinematographer Simon Harvey Smith.
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Sunny has worked with multiple artists, such as Richie Spice, Anthony B, Gyptian, Aston Barrett, J. Bog, Prophet Rayza and performed live with the original Wailers after their sold out Australian tours. Meanwhile, Sunny co-produced a compilation CD from Australia’s annual Island Vibes festival and became the MC voice of the festival hosted at Stradbroke Island. In 2013, Sunny toured New Caledonia promoting his new tracks, and had six sold out shows from Noumea to Pondimiere with the Caledonian band Nea Combo Diffuzion. In 2014, Sunny played at Cosmo in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The show was an immediate success that prompted recordings with the artist Oshen and featured in the Pacific Music Top Charts as the number 1 song for three consecutive years. From then, Sunny worked with New Zealand bands such as Salmonella Dub, House of Shem and Paua which resulted in another sold out show at Brisbane venue the Triffid. Since then, Sunny Dread worked with reggae stars Tarrus Riley, Dean Frazer, and the band Black Soil during their Australian and NZ tour as well as Beanie Man and Bush Man in 2017. Currently Sunny is busy performing in Brisbane and Sydney and working on an up and coming album, which will be released in December 2018 while planning a tour of the Australian East Coast with reggae greats Snatcha Lion and I-Wayne.