Nigel “NiyoRah” Olivacce was born on October 9, 1980 in the coastline village of Pointe Michel, Dominica. At age 4, he moved to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, with his family, and cultivated an interest in music through listening to artists in his father’s and uncle’s roots reggae collections which included artists like Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear and Lucky Dube. By age 16, NiyoRah began singing and chanting on the streets about the life experiences in his community, downtown Charlotte Amalie, in the SAVAN area or ghetto. SAVAN was the first town for Free Slaves in St. Thomas, USVI, known as “Suakasa” in the early years. At age 18, NiyoRah decided to pursue a career in reggae music. “Reggae had one of the greatest positive influences on my life. It’s the type of music I cling to for some mystical reason,” he says. “The Creator guided me more than I did myself.” He took on the name NiyoRah - a combination of his nickname growing up and respect for the omnipotent power of the sun. It correlates to “Nu-Ra”, meaning PEOPLE OF THE SUN.

 

Music became a natural career choice because of his musically gifted family. His grandfather, Revanie Olivacce, was a local singer who performed Negro spirituals and Gospel, while his aunt, Ophelia Olivacce Marie, is an international French-speaking artist heralded as “Dominica’s Songbird” for her style of cadence and calypso. Niyorah is also the cousin of Reggae superstar NASIO FOUNTAINE and professional opera singer RHEA OLIVACCE. In 1998, he was introduced to Black Juice Records, a Virgin Islands-based recording company, by his friend and former manager Emmanuel “Ras Manny” Pickering of WSTA 1340AM. There he joined with six other reggae artists under the company to co-found the Epic VI based music group the Star Lion Family. His voice can be heard on Star Lion Family’s EP “Brighter Days” released in November 2003.

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In concert, NiyoRah has performed in front tens of thousands, sharing the same stage and festivals with world renowned artists such as the Damian Marley, Sizzla, Capleton, Junior Reid, Buju Banton, Bunny Wailer, Glen Washington, Midnite Band, Junior Kelly, Marcia Griffiths, Eve, Erika Badu, Dezarie, Tarrus Riley and many others. NiyoRah’s albums, “A Different Age" (May 2005), "Purification Session" (June 2006), "Stolen scrolls" (June 2008), "Feel Your Presence" (June 2010) and “Rising Sun” (June 2015) and several of his great singles were released under one of the Virgin Island's top reggae labels, I Grade Records and his Company RISE ABOVE THEM PUBLISHING. He has worked with Grammy nominated Producer(s) PHAR PHAR and ZION I KINGS and has unreleased singles with TIMO of ROCK CITY (#1 BILLBOARD SINGLE “LOCKED AWAY”- 934 million views and counting), CRUZ ROCK (634k IG FOLLOWERS), and DEAN POND (SHAGGY’S ENGINEER). Other notable collaborations include: Sugar Minott (“World Jungle”), Jah Mason (“Bruk Down Barrier”), the late Vaughn Benjamin of the original Midnite Band/Akae Beka (“Lion Have Mane”), Pressure Buss Pipe, Ras Batch and Ras Attitude. Niyorah is also a music business educator and motivational speaker.

 

Niyorah has toured/performed on the east and west coast of the U.S., Europe, Hawaii, Venezuela, Guam, Caribbean Islands and was slated for an east Africa Tour before COVID epidemic. He has performed in front of tens of thousands at festivals/events such as the Oland Music Festival (Baltic Sea), North West Reggae Festival, World Social Forum, Reggae Rising, Baltimore African American Heritage Music Festival, Sierra Nevada World Music festival, LakeSplash (Switzerland) to name a few. With his experience and relentless approach to the stage, he is definitely a WORK OF ART and spectacle to watch!