House of Fyah run reggae through decades of pedigree — UB40, Musical Youth, Sean Paul, Maxi Priest — and come out the other side as one unit.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s roots, soul and R&B fused with production sharp enough to hit now, built by musicians who know reggae doesn’t age. It connects.
Their new three-track EP, QUEEN, travels through heartbreak, gratitude and celebration. Inspired by the mothers, partners, daughters and other women who have shaped their lives, the project explores love and resilience from a deeply personal perspective.
In this FM PRO 10Q, House of Fyah discuss the emotional journey behind QUEEN, the position of reggae within the UK music industry, their creative roles and the balance between old-school studio musicianship and modern digital production.
Music, especially reggae music, is a power for change. It is always there when you need it. One Love…
Q1. QUEEN moves from the breakdown of a relationship in Gone through gratitude in For The Love to the celebration at the centre of Queen. Did you consciously design the EP as that emotional journey?
Love inherently passes through all stages of emotion. From the first glance, to the overwhelming excitement of the first kiss. The sheer bliss of true love, that warm glow, that look in someone’s eyes when you just know they feel the same way about you.
As there is in sadness, loss, emptiness, that too is love, but hurts like the end of the world. If we were to have planned it, we would have had Gone first, then For The Love ending with the true celebration of our beautiful women Queen.
Q2. The title track comes from very personal experiences of mothers, partners, daughters and family. How did you make something so intimate feel universal rather than autobiographical?
All relationships are universal and no two relationships are the same, whether they are with your Mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, best friend, colleague, the list is endless. Each person that listens to the words will draw their own personal intimacy and interpretation.
Q3. Between you, House of Fyah brings decades of experience with artists including UB40, Musical Youth, Sean Paul and Maxi Priest. What happens when those different musical histories meet?
As we all come from different backgrounds some more interconnected than others, we have somehow managed to create and fall into our own ‘House Of Fyah’ rhythm.
From the true essence of reggae culture to 80’ and 90’s R&B through to popular music in the charts. We all bring a little spice to the cooking pot.
Q4. Reggae has always carried social and political weight alongside love, spirituality and celebration. What responsibility, if any, do you feel to keep that wider cultural voice alive in House of Fyah?
Social values should always play a role in all music. As a writer I think you have a duty to make music that speaks for all demographics, representing all cultures that listen to music for answers, those that seek balance in life and family. But we must always remember not to preach.
Music is a choice and the road and social values we choose must be the same.
Q5. FM PRO TECH Q: With backgrounds spanning live performance, studio production and musical direction, how do you divide roles when building a House of Fyah track, and at what point does an individual idea become a collective record?
With such a wealth of knowledge, talent and experience in the band, a song can emerge from any where. From a single lyric to and drum and bass pattern, an old backing track that not everyone has heard, that then stimulates fresh ideas! We all have our roles within the creative process, but more essentially we now have the maturity to be much more productive than argumentative.
Q6. Queen celebrates women through the perspectives of fathers, sons and partners. Was there ever a concern about how to approach that subject without speaking for women rather than honouring them?
I think all men truly know how strong women are if they are true to themselves. Unfortunately men struggle far more with their emotions and feelings than women do, we find it difficult to sometimes truly express ourselves fully.
All men will have that one woman in their life that made a huge impact upon them, on their lives, how they were moulded as a person. This is how we tip our hat, and respect the world they surround us with.
Q7. You have all experienced very different eras of the UK reggae industry. What has genuinely improved for reggae artists in Britain, and what still feels frustratingly unchanged?
As a whole, all genres of reggae music lack the respect they truly deserve.
Commercial pop music gets shown a far higher regard in the industry, but should a product need music to sell its appeal to an audience they always rely upon reggae music.
Q8. Tony describes the band as finding “new ways of opening the vibrant togetherness” with every project. What have you learned about each other musically since House of Fyah first came together?
I think the biggest thing we have learned is that we are all still prepared to push the boundaries, push each other for the love of what we do…We all know our limits, but it’s an amazing feeling to be able to give each other the security and respect to keep being creative and be creators.
Q9. The EP talks about love, loss and resilience without losing the warmth associated with reggae. In difficult political and social times, do you think positive music can still operate as a form of resistance?
One million percent!! That’s what music is for and what reggae music has represented for decades. Positivity, truthfulness, strength, honesty, belief, belonging and love. Music especially reggae music is a power for change. It is always there when you need it. One Love…
Q10. FM PRO TECH Q: You collectively bring experience from analogue-era studios through to today’s digital production and release environment. Which technological changes have genuinely improved reggae production, and what elements of the old-school recording process are still impossible to replace?
I don’t think anyone has the right to make that call as it is most definitely a generational choice and different generations have different ears.. Personally the old way was most definitely a warmer place to be. Sessions could go on for days, organically taking their own path in their own time.
Today’s music is far more clinical, far more complex regarding production. Back in the day, musicians had to be creative with their instruments to be successful. Now kids can make a hit record in their bedroom in a couple of hours.
Maybe combining the two is somewhat better and easier for generations to sit with each other.
©fm