Turning Pain into Purpose

For Bartley, music was never just a pastime; it was purpose taking shape. “Growing up as a church boy, I developed a deep love for God and found joy in honouring Him through the gifts He gave me, singing and dancing,” he said. That early foundation in faith would become the compass guiding his creative life. 

As he matured, his sound expanded beyond gospel roots to embrace reggae, afro beats, and R&B — a blend that reflects both his Jamaican upbringing and his Barbadian journey. “I don’t like to confine myself to one style,” he explained. “I love to express versatility in both my sound and my brand.” He counts Beres Hammond, Chronixx, Rihanna and Lil Rick among his major influences, admiring not just their music but “the way they captivate audiences through authenticity and performance.” 

Odane Bartley

At this year’s NIFCA, Bartley earned two Silver Awards, in the mixed discipline category introduced this year, for two deeply personal performances Winning the Fight and The Way. Both combine song and dance in a seamless expression of story and soul. 

Winning the Fight was born from a dark and difficult period in his life. “It was inspired by my original song ‘Suicide’, which came from a really personal place,” he shared. “I wrote it during a time when I was battling a lot of inner struggles, moments where I felt lost, questioned my purpose, and had to remind myself why I started.” 

That honesty became his strength. “You can be broken and brave at the same time,” he said. The multidisciplinary piece channels despair into hope, transforming pain into purpose, a message that struck a chord with audiences and judges alike. 

Highlighting Suicide Prevention Month, Bartley used his platform to amplify a conversation often kept in silence. “I’ve seen people I care about struggle in silence, and I’ve also had my own moments of darkness where hope felt far away,” he said. His message is simple but profound: “The main message I want audiences to take away is that they’re not alone.” 

Both of his pieces merge song and dance, disciplines he calls his “two strongest forms of therapy.” The connection is not performative; it is spiritual. “When I merged them for this piece, it wasn’t just about performance; it was about letting my emotions move through sound and motion at the same time,” he said. 

That sense of movement from brokenness to renewal also defines The Way, a piece rooted in faith, surrender and redemption. “There’s nothing I do without consulting God,” Bartley affirmed. “Every vision, idea, and concept I create comes through Him.” 

Odane performing his piece “The Way”

For him, faith is more than belief — it is alignment. “My spirituality keeps me centred. When you truly know who you are and where you’re going, both as a person and as an artist, everything becomes clearer.” 

Recognition on the NIFCA stage was meaningful, but Bartley’s focus remains on impact. “It wasn’t just about winning,” he said. “It was about having the messages within my work acknowledged.” Those messages of healing, faith, and mental health continue to ripple outward. 

“My biggest hope is that my art becomes a light for young people who feel like they’re walking in darkness,” he said. “If someone listens to my work and feels seen, encouraged, or renewed, even for a moment, then I’ve done what I’m meant to do.” 

After exploring themes of pain and redemption, Bartley is turning his creative lens towards upliftment. “Moving forward, I want to explore themes of purpose, love, and unity,” he said. “My artistry is evolving into something bigger than performance, it’s becoming a movement of hope.” 

For an artist who has faced his own shadows and found light through rhythm and faith, that message feels less like a mission statement and more like a promise. As he continues to merge movement, melody, and meaning, Prynce OB stands as a reminder that no matter how dark the night, there is always a fight worth winning. (PR)