Hailing from Spanish Town, St. Catherine, 19-year-old Mozein Sutherland is determined to carve out his own path and leave a lasting mark on the music industry.

He discovered his talent at the tender age of six, which led him to join his church choir by the time he was 13. Over the next four years, he dedicated himself to refining his craft. At 17, he entered the popular local talent show Digicel Rising Stars, and after months of intense competition, emerged as the winner.

Reminiscing about his time in the competition, Sutherland shared, “Digicel Rising Stars opened doors of opportunities for me. It brought me to places I never would have been able to go without being the Digicel Rising Star, and it also gave me countless chances to do what I love in front of thousands of people. Digicel Rising Stars solidified my hopes of becoming a top reggae artist from Jamaica.”

Sutherland credits the competition for instilling in him the confidence he now carries. “Personally, I walked away with a lot of confidence and the greatest joy of knowing that I made myself, my family, and friends proud.”

One of the most important lessons he learned, however, was the importance of stage presence. This became a turning point in his artistic journey, teaching him how to present himself on stage and connect with his audience to create memorable performances. Despite his rising fame, Sutherland remains grounded in his quest to become the great artist he envisions.

"Staying grounded while navigating newfound recognition, for me, is all about adjusting and learning how to deal with people. Nothing more, nothing less," he says.

Among his musical inspirations are Romain Virgo, John Legend, Michael Jackson, and Smokey Robinson. “They are very talented singers with different styles of performing: Michael was live and energetic; Smokey is smooth and emotive; Romain focuses on love and social issues, so it's easier to connect with the audience; and John has that musical gift of being able to sing and play instruments, which makes him even more entertaining,” he explains.

Now set to perform at the highly anticipated Live and Direc concert, featuring R & B legends Brian McKnight and Dru Hill, Sutherland is still processing the magnitude of the opportunity. “Honestly, I never in my life imagined this would happen so soon. When I first heard the news, I was in total disbelief, because prior to being approached by the organisers, I was saying that I was going to go to the show as a patron to enjoy some good music,” he recalls with a smile.

While promising an unforgettable performance sure to have the audience singing along and dancing the night away, Sutherland remains tight-lipped about the details: “A surprise is a surprise.”

The Live and Direc concert featuring Brian McKnight and Dru Hill is set for June 28, 2025, at the Caymanas Golf Club. The show begins promptly at 8 p.m.