Skip Marley Honors 1990 Maxi Priest Hit With New Single “Close”

Skip Marley has returned with his first new single in two years, “Close,” along with a music video, directed by Gabriella Kingsley. Produced by Rykeyz (Demi Lovato, Wiz Khalifa), “Close” captures the hook from Maxi Priest’s 1990 hit “Close To You,” before breaking into a smoother reggae grind.

“It’s modern, but it pays homage to Maxi Priest,” said Marley. “I loved the idea of bringing this great song to the new generation.” 

Reminiscing what it felt like / Of our bodies dancing in the moonlight sings Marley on “On one “Close,” with his Priest-inspired chorus I just wanna be close to you / Mi do all the things you want me to. “On the one hand, I’m reminiscing about a girl,” added Marley. “For me, there’s a bigger meaning too. The song hints that I’m back and about to begin another chapter.”

“Close” is Marley’s first original single since “Jane” in 2022, a song more deeply connected to nature. “I’m speaking of the planet but you can apply it to a woman,” Marley said of “Jane,” adding “There’s that perfectness and naturalness.”

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: Skip Marley Seeks Natural Balance with “Jane,” Featuring Ayra Starr]

Marley also explored the neglect of nature in his previous single, “Change“—produced and co-written by Oscar Holter (The Weeknd, Coldplay, Katy Perry, P!nk)—a call to action for the world and societal mindset to change its ways.

“It comes from looking around in this world and changing our lives,” says Marley. “It can be little. It can be small, but I’m talking about the whole world, humanity in general needs a change in the road we’re on now. How much longer can we live this way with the footprint we’ve left, the way we treat the earth.”

Marley released his debut EP Higher Place in 2020, featuring the hit “Slow Down” with  H.E.R., which picked up a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song; the album also earned a nod for Best Reggae Album.

In 2024, Marley also released his rendition of his grandfather Bob Marley‘s 1977 song “Exodus,” for the Bob Marley biopic One Love and the soundtrack to the film. The title track of Marley’s 1977 album, “Exodus” went to No. 1 in Jamaica and peaked at No. 14 in the UK, and No. 19 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Photo: Courtesy of High Rise PR