It’s just after four in the afternoon and Justin Cross is at the Botanical Gardens posing for his WomanWise photo shoot.

A young woman, recognising Cross, whispers his name to her friend.

This is just a sneak peek of a day in the life of Justin Cross.

Everywhere he goes, his fans, especially the females among them, not only instantly recognise the Digicel Rising Stars contestant, but are constantly approaching him and trying to secretly slip him their phone numbers.

“It is really too much sometimes. I can’t go to the mall, or walk through Port-of-Spain without women coming up to me to introduce themselves or trying to get me to call them,” he said. “Just imagine this happening to someone who is totally unaccustomed to this kind of attention and you will understand how I feel.”

Although this new-found stardom may be overwhelming at times, the 29-year-old singer is talented is not afraid of celebrity status.

Rising star

It was his undeniable ability that lured veteran calypsonian, Denyse Plummer to take up the challenge of becoming the young artiste’s manager. Plummer was the one who insisted that Cross enter the televised talent show even though he was reluctant to do so.

“When I first heard about Digicel Rising Stars, I was not interested in entering the competition, I was just about to give up on music and focus on my full-time job,” he said.

“Denyse was sure that entering the competition would give me the kind of exposure I needed to expand my career.”

Having captured first place in the Anchorage Pop Awards in 2000, Cross had been trying to launch out into the local music industry for quite some time, but it was the Digicel Rising Stars competition ensured that he became a household name.

Since then, he has been kept very busy as he continues to grow as an artiste. As a singer with Peter C Lewis’ band, The Orchestra, Cross is able to continue doing what he loves.

“I am pursuing my dream now on a full-time basis. It is difficult to hold down an eight-to-four job and do music at the same time.

“People from all over the country are calling me to perform in their clubs and I am also concentrating on doing my own music.”

Reggae’s lure

At the moment, Cross is currently working on an album of reggae songs to be titled No Man is an Island.

“I love to do reggae music, but I am also very versatile. Soca is our music and I love it too, but reggae music is what I really love.

“Above everything, I want to do music that has a positive effect, nothing that will promote anything negative.”

Cross’ latest offering, Woman yuh Sweet, is a melodic, upbeat love song that the women are sure to appreciate.

A music video for the track has also been shot and is already being aired. Between his music career and fishing (he called it his obsession) Cross maintains that he does not have the time to pursue a relationship, or to take up the many offers that keep coming his way. Instead, having just come out of a long-term relationship, he prefers to concentrate on his passion for performance — that is, of course, until the right woman comes along.

In the meantime, Cross is keeping his eyes on the prize while the spotlight continues to shine on him.