Brushy One String

Born in Jamaica under the name Andrew Anthony Chin, Brushy One String develops a singular approach to reggae, roots, and calypso by playing a guitar with a single string, used both as a melodic and percussive instrument. Son of reggae singer Freddie McKay, he grows up in Jamaica and begins to attract attention in the 2000s, notably after his appearance on the Jamaican show Digicel Rising Stars in 2006. His trajectory takes an international dimension when the track “Chicken in the Corn” is associated with Luciano Blotta’s Rise Up documentary in 2007, and then circulates widely online. Brushy One String builds from a pared-down, rhythmic and direct repertoire, where voice, repetitive motifs and groove take the foreground. This minimalist aesthetic, rooted in Jamaican folk traditions, allows him to move between reggae, folk and world stages, with appearances at festivals such as South by Southwest, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Summerjam or Rudolstadt. His discography includes The King of One String (2010), Destiny (2014), No Man Stop Me (2016) and All You Need is One (2019), as well as the live album Live In South America (2023).