Demarco on Directing Busy Signal’s “Jamaica Love”: “This Meant Everything to Me”

Exclusive: Demarco reflects on the creative process behind “Jamaica Love,” his chemistry with Busy Signal, and the Jamaica Tourist Board, and his mission to make it feel like home for those overseas

Demarco calls directing Busy Signal’s “Jamaica Love” a cultural responsibility

More than a decade after its release, reggae and dancehall icon Busy Signal has finally brought a visual to his timeless anthem “Jamaica Love,” tapping fellow dancehall creative Demarco to step behind the camera as director.

Rather than approaching the project as a traditional performance video, Busy Signal and Demarco set out to translate the song’s emotion into something deeply real. Rooted in lived Jamaican experience, the visual unfolds as an intimate portrait of everyday life - authentic, heartfelt, and unmistakably Jamaican. For the first time, “Jamaica Love” is not only heard but seen, emerging as more than a music video; it’s a feeling brought to life, a story in motion, and a reminder that Jamaica remains open, vibrant, and deeply loved.

In an exclusive conversation with Kaboom Magazine, Demarco delves into the creative process behind giving visual form to a song that has resonated for more than a decade, explaining how authenticity, storytelling, and cultural pride guided every frame of the project.

You’ve directed many visuals in your career, but “Jamaica Love” carries a different weight. What did directing this project mean to you personally?

“Directing 'Jamaica Love' meant everything to me, because this isn’t just a song - it’s an anthem. It already lived in people’s hearts long before we picked up a camera. So my responsibility wasn’t to make it flashy or trendy, it was to protect the soul of the song.

I’m Jamaican. I live this culture. I know what Jamaica Love means to the diaspora, to people who miss home, to people who carry Jamaica wherever they go. I approached this as a love letter — intentional, respectful, and real. I wanted every frame to feel familiar, not staged. Like something you’ve lived before.”

You previously directed the “HELLO” project with Terry Bennett, which helped redefine music-to-tourism storytelling. How did that experience shape your approach to “Jamaica Love”?

“HELLO showed us what’s possible when music leads the narrative instead of advertising. Working with Terry Bennett on that project taught me the power of intention - not just capturing beauty, but capturing feeling.

Demarco elaborated on the approach, explaining that “Jamaica Love” required a very different creative mindset. “With ‘Jamaica Love,’ I wanted to go even deeper. This song deserved patience. It deserved restraint. Where HELLO was bold and groundbreaking, Jamaica Love needed to be timeless. Terry and I aligned early on that this wasn’t about selling Jamaica - it was about showing Jamaica as it truly is, and trusting the emotion to do the rest.”

What was it like collaborating with Busy Signal on bringing visuals to a song that has existed for so long without them?

“Working with Busy Signal was pure respect on both sides. Busy understood immediately that this wasn’t about ego or performance - it was about legacy. He gave space. He trusted the process. He knew when to step forward and when to let the island speak. That kind of trust is rare. We both understood that once visuals exist, they become permanent. So every decision had to honor what the song already meant to people. Busy didn’t just show up as an artist - he showed up as a cultural guardian.”

How did the Jamaica Tourist Board fit into the vision without the project feeling commercial or forced?

“That was one of the most important parts of this process. The Jamaica Tourist Board came into this project with the right mindset - support, not control. They understood that the most powerful way to invite the world to Jamaica is through culture. They didn’t ask us to change the story. They helped us tell it properly. That’s a big difference. Because of that, the video never feels like an ad. It feels like life. Like community. Like Jamaica. That alignment made it possible to keep the integrity of the song intact while still opening the door to the world.”

Looking back, what do you hope fans - especially Jamaicans at home and abroad - feel when they watch “Jamaica Love”?

“I hope they feel seen. I hope someone in London, Toronto, New York, or Miami watches it and feels like they’re back home for a moment. I hope someone on the island feels proud, not packaged.

Most of all, I hope people feel the intention behind it - that this was done with care. With love. With respect for the culture. This wasn’t just a video shoot. It was a responsibility. Jamaica Love is about who we are, where we come from, and why our culture matters. If people feel that when they watch it, then we did our job.”