From the tiny Caribbean paradise of St. Kitts & Nevis emerges a very youthful soul singer whose passion and creative vision for music is undeniable. Andrew Dean Williams was born on the island of St. Kitts to a Nevisian mother and a Jamaican father, giving him a unique West Indian heritage. From very young, in fact under 1yr old Drew began a migrant lifestyle due to his father’s profession. At the tender age of 3 he showed musical sparks and started singing in church at the age of 4. For many years he would perform in church and was a part of the children and youth choirs in all of the countries where he resided.
In 1999, after having lived in the Netherlands Antilles, Montserrat & Dominica, Drew moved to Nevis and really began developing his craft. He immersed himself in the arts by performing at various community shows and events around the island singing mostly R&B, Soul & Gospel. In 2003, Drew was honoured by the Nevis Cultural Department by receiving a Palm (Music) Award for the “Best Male Contemporary Artist”. He also received a nomination at the same ceremony for “Best Gospel Performance”.
The following year Drew met Addison Harvey, an up & coming producer from St. Kitts. The two quickly became friends and began brainstorming to see if there would be any musical cohesion. After a few sessions it was clear that they were on the same page especially in the R&B, Hip-Hop & Soul genres. Shortly after, they wrote and recorded their first track “Diamond In The Ruff” a track which was recently re-mastered and re-released online. The two continued to develop material which was geared towards a debut album as a duo called “FBI” an acronym meaning “Full Blooded Innovators”. The album was never completed as once again in 2006, Drew had to relocate, this time to the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
A few months after arriving in Tortola, Drew witnessed a performance from an established group called the “Acappella Fellas” and was so inspired that it motivated him to join the group (with whom he still performs). The fellas blend traditional, contemporary, jazz, gospel, negro spiritual, fungi, and calypso styles.
In 2007, on his pursuit to amplify his musical ambitions, Drew applied to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and in February of that year traveled to Barbados to audition for faculty from the institution. Two months later he was accepted and received a partial scholarship from the school to pursue full-time musical studies. He began his studies at Berklee in 2008, with the intention of majoring in Music Business Management and Voice.
In 2009, after a few semesters at Berklee, Drew withdrew from the institution due to increasing constraints and his personal desire to become a full-time recording artist. Following that, Drew launched his musical career as the solo artist “DREW DEAN”. Since then, he rekindled the musical relationship with Addison and has networked with many other producers including Antoine Adams, André Braithwaite and Layird Music. He also plays the keys and produces some of his own material.
As a songwriter, Drew focuses on themes of love, positivity and inspiration, drawing energy from his personal experiences, his imaginative mindset and his spiritual background. He aims to make music which evokes passion and takes listeners back to a place of realness.
Drew sights some of his major influences as The Fugees (Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill & Pras), D’Angelo, Maxwell, Joe, R. Kelly, Ginuwine, Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, Seal, Lenny Kravitz, Raphael Saadiq, Marvin Gaye, Al Jarreau, Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Buju Banton & Bob Marley amongst a host of other artistes. He declares that the 90s era played a vital role in shaping his sound. Artistically, he describes his style as Eclectic Soul; He merges elements of R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop & Reggae to create a unique sound.
To date, Drew has released 2 Albums – Eclectic Motions (2011) and Vibrations (2021), 2 EPs – The Sampler (2009) and Floating Embers (2014), plus a few independent singles and cover songs including a stunning remake of the Bob Marley classic “Sun Is Shining”. He continues to write and record new material and believes that with God on his side and the support of family & friends he will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the global music scene with his distinctive style and character.