The island’s music community is this week mourning the loss of Haile Outerbridge, the singer/songwriter who performed under the names “Star Child” and “Elephant Child”.
On Wednesday, Mr. Outerbridge was gunned down along with Ricco Furbert at the Belvin’s Variety Store on Happy Valley Road in a double murder which shocked the island.
The 34-year-old had been a regular on the music circuit for years and was best known for his single “Concrete Jungle”.
Since his death, some of the local radio stations have made a point of playing Mr. Outerbridge’s music in heavy rotation. Friends and fans on social media have been saying his murder has robbed Bermuda of one of its brightest emerging music stars.
Mr Outerbridge’s “Concrete Jungle” music video is below:
In the 1990s he became known as “Elephant Child” because of his similarity in style to Jamaican dancehall star Elephant Man. “Once in the early ’90s while on tour in Bermuda, Elephant Man called him up on stage and endorsed him and together they mashed up the stage show,” posted a friend.
Rapper Mona Li$a said that Mr Outerbridge’s single “Concrete Jungle” inspired her to write her own 2011 hit “Island Not The Same” : “His music was a foundation of peace as he hoped for change as I and 99.9 per cent of this island does,” said Mona Li$a.
“I’m calling all who are in favour of stopping crime to step up! This is the time for everyone to participate, simply because as of January 25, 2013 everyone has been affected.”
“Star Child said it best,” she said quoting some of his song lyrics. “If you see a youth astray down the way, don’t delay, help him out, make a change you have to save him. Move him forward in life, put bad times behind.”
This is the second time the local music community has been left to mourn one of its own in recent days; the 25-year-old aspiring singer/songwriter Torrie Baker was killed in a traffic accident on January 19.
The police released CCTV images of the shooter inside Belvin’s and also confirmed the arrest of a 21-year-old Sandys man in connection with the double homicide.
The investigation continues, and anyone with any information is asked to contact the Serious Crime Unit on 247-1739 and 247-1340 or on the confidential & independent Crime Stoppers hotline 800-8477.