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Reggae veteran Fantan Mojah reminded Reggae Sumfest patrons exactly why he remains a beloved figure in the music fraternity -- delivering a performance packed with timeless hits, heartfelt energy, and an unexpected rising star.

The crowd was taken on a rich, nostalgic journey, singing along word for word as Fantan Mojah rolled out classic anthems with a maturity and groove reminiscent of reggae greats.

"Fantan is a big man now," he chuckled backstage. "Mi not the young Fantan again, so mi give them a more grooving vibe like Jacob Miller or a Burning Spear rock, you know. And, di people receive it well, singing all of the songs line for line -- mi give thanks."

But the night wasn't just about the past. The artiste introduced 12-year-old Emma, a surprise guest artiste, whose confident and spirit-filled performance won over the audience instantly. Her presence was a signal of reggae's future.

"As you can see, I brought down my guest artiste - Emma. And she light di fire, so it was a win-win for us," he further commented.

On the future of reggae, Fantan Mojah opined that it's talents such as Emma who will carry on the mantle.

"From mi hear har voice, mi seh 'Yeah! Me hear wah me waa fi hear. A di future this!'" Fantan Mojah said. "She has passion, and that's what the music need."

Emma, a student of Greater Portmore High School, beamed with excitement in her post-performance interview.

"It was great. I have lots of confidence in myself," she said with a smile. "I think the crowd received me well, and I enjoyed myself."

When asked how her journey began, Emma shared that she got interested in music in grade five.

"And it's something that draws me closer to God," she said. "For the summer now, I'll be voicing some more songs. But I'll also be studying. So, I'll be balancing the schoolwork and the music at the same time."

Emma's mother, Simone Daley, glowed with pride.

"I saw her talent from she was in class two. She used to sing at school. I know that she was going to do good today on stage," she shared. "She was really excited about this and I hope she goes far in the industry, she's doing so good. I am confident in her."

For Fantan Mojah, he has been cultivating more than just music -- he's deeply involved in farming, raising pigs and developing a new agricultural venture.

"Mi never stop farm, enuh, all pig mi raise!" he said. "Yuh waa some fi buy?"

"We're in a breeding segment now. It's a new farm, so we a get it up di real way den we can showcase di ting to the world."

Despite his growing passion for farming, the veteran isn't slowing down musically. Fans can finally look forward to a long-awaited album, recorded since 2018 with Downsound Records, which he plans to release this year.

"Di album neva get fi drop seven years ago. But now we're ready to put it on the road for 2025. We already dropped one song from it -- All Over Again -- and more is coming."