Mr Pike eyes international breakthrough with ‘Don’t Blame Me’

Mr Pike is determined to make his mark on the international music scene and believes his latest single,

Don't Blame Me

, could be the breakthrough he has been working towards. The artiste is preparing to embark on a tour of Africa, with stops planned in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Nigeria over the next two to three months. In the meantime, he is hoping to build momentum around the song and get fans familiar with the lyrics so they can sing along when he takes his music to the continent. “This song will definitely be heard in the African continent once I touch down,” Pike, who has been involved in music for more than 30 years, told

Observer Online

.

Don't Blame Me

was released on YouTube and other streaming platforms on October 9. Fans can find the artiste's YouTube channel under the name MrPikethetruth. Born Rory Pike, the singer explained that although he has been involved in music for more than three decades, he only began taking the creative side of the business more seriously about 10 to 15 years ago. That period of deeper commitment, he said, has helped him develop his versatility as a songwriter and performer, allowing him to pen lyrics and deliver them across different musical styles. “I just want to continue it because I've discovered in recent years that it's truly my purpose in life. I can't allow my gift and my purpose to go to waste. With that being said I have to keep on pushing,” he said. Pike noted that many of his songs draw on real-life experiences. However,

Don't Blame Me

is a departure from that approach, as it was inspired more by the desire to capture the intense feelings people harbour for someone they find attractive while creating an atmosphere of fun and happiness. “Well, this song, this is one of the few songs, to be honest, really, that is not even based on a specific true story because my music, is about life, ladies and love. I'm known to speak my truth based on my personal experiences and based on the world as I see it. This is one of those songs where it just kind of came to me, just once we hit rhythm, it started to flow and the melody for don't blame me, just came in my head and I basically just ran with it,” he said. The track also showcases Pike's ability to move between genres, incorporating elements of singing, dancehall and hip-hop. The artiste, who also performs rap, gospel and reggae, said he wanted to give listeners a taste of his diverse musical influences. “And I felt like we definitely took it home,” he said. Lyrically,

Don't Blame Me

explores the temptation of being drawn to another woman despite already being in a relationship. Pike brings that playful, flirtatious theme to life as he describes his attraction to a woman whose beauty threatens to get him into trouble. “She had the face of an angel, body like Nicky, she's bout to get me jammed up, real sticky,” he said.