There’s something about dancehall music that hits different.
Not just the rhythm or the bass. Not just the melodies or the lyrics. It’s the energy—that unapologetic, bold, confident force that pulses through every authentic dancehall track. That feeling that makes you stand a little taller, walk a little different, carry yourself with more swagger.
Dancehall doesn’t whisper. It declares. It doesn’t apologize. It owns its space. It doesn’t ask for permission. It commands attention.
That energy—that’s what I tap into every single day to maintain confidence as Tray Millen. Not just as an artist performing on stage, but as a human navigating life, facing challenges, dealing with doubt, and pushing through obstacles.
Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, surrounded by dancehall culture, I absorbed this energy from childhood. But it wasn’t until I became intentional about it—about consciously using dancehall’s confidence as a daily practice—that everything changed.
Now, dancehall isn’t just what I create. It’s how I live. The energy of this music has become the foundation of my daily confidence, and I want to share exactly how I use it.
Because confidence isn’t something you’re born with or without. It’s something you cultivate, practice, and build daily. And dancehall energy is one of the most powerful tools I’ve found for building it.
Understanding Dancehall Energy
Before I explain how I use it, let’s understand what dancehall energy actually is.
What Makes Dancehall Energy Unique
It’s unapologetically bold:
Dancehall doesn’t shrink or minimize itself. It takes up space loudly, visually, sonically. This music doesn’t try to blend in—it demands to stand out.
It’s confident without arrogance:
There’s a difference between confidence (knowing your worth) and arrogance (believing you’re better than others). Dancehall energy is confident—it knows its value without needing to diminish others.
It’s physical and embodied:
You feel dancehall in your body. The bass hits your chest. The rhythm moves your hips. The energy is visceral and physical, not just intellectual.
It’s joyful and celebratory:
Even when dancehall addresses serious topics, there’s an underlying life-affirming energy. It celebrates being alive, moving, expressing, existing fully.
It’s rooted and authentic:
Dancehall energy comes from real street culture, real people’s experiences, real Caribbean life. It’s not manufactured or performative—it’s genuine.
It’s resilient and defiant:
Born from communities facing real struggles, dancehall energy says “we’re here, we’re alive, we’re thriving despite everything.” There’s resilience and defiance in the sound.
Why This Energy Builds Confidence
Confidence is embodied:
Real confidence isn’t just thoughts (“I’m capable”). It’s physical—how you hold your body, your presence, your energy. Dancehall’s physical energy trains confident embodiment.
Confidence is unapologetic:
Confident people don’t apologize for existing, taking up space, or expressing themselves. Dancehall models this perfectly.
Confidence is consistent:
It’s not fragile or dependent on external validation. It comes from within and persists despite circumstances. Dancehall’s persistent energy mirrors this.
Confidence is joyful:
True confidence includes joy and celebration of self. Dancehall’s celebratory energy embodies this beautifully.
My Daily Confidence Practice Using Dancehall Energy
Let me break down exactly how I use dancehall energy every day.
Morning Energy Activation (15 minutes)
The practice:
Every morning, before starting my day, I spend 15 minutes connecting with dancehall energy.
What I do:
Step 1: Music selection (2 minutes)
I choose 2-3 high-energy dancehall tracks that make me feel powerful. Not background music—tracks that demand attention and movement.
Current rotation includes tracks from Skillibeng, Popcaan, my own music, and classic riddims that never fail to energize.
Step 2: Physical activation (10 minutes)
I don’t just listen—I move. Dancing, not as performance but as energy practice:
- Start with feeling the bass in my body
- Let movement emerge naturally from the rhythm
- Gradually increase intensity and boldness
- Move in ways that feel powerful and confident
- Embody the energy of the music physically
The intention:
I’m not trying to dance “well.” I’m using movement to activate confident energy in my body. How I move doesn’t matter—that I move boldly and freely does.
Step 3: Embodiment check (3 minutes)
After dancing, I notice:
- How my body feels (more alive, energized, powerful)
- How I’m standing (taller, more open)
- My mental state (more confident, less doubtful)
- My readiness to face the day
Why this works:
Confidence isn’t created by thinking confident thoughts. It’s created through embodied experience. Moving with dancehall energy literally changes your nervous system state from contracted/defensive to expanded/confident.
What changed when I started this:
Before this practice, I’d wake up and immediately check my phone, see the world’s problems or my own challenges, and start the day from anxiety or stress. Now I start from activated, confident energy. This foundation affects everything that follows.
Using Dancehall Energy Throughout the Day
Beyond the morning practice, I tap into dancehall energy whenever I need confidence.
Before Important Moments
When I need it:
- Before recording sessions
- Before performances
- Before important meetings or calls
- Before creating content
- Before difficult conversations
- Before any moment requiring confidence
What I do:
Quick 3-5 minute activation:
- Play a high-energy dancehall track
- Move my body to the rhythm
- Feel the bass physically
- Remember the energy and attitude
- Carry that energy into the moment
The effect:
I walk into the situation already embodying confidence rather than trying to manufacture it in the moment.
During Challenging Moments
When confidence wavers:
- Receiving criticism
- Facing rejection
- Dealing with comparison
- Experiencing self-doubt
- Handling difficult situations
What I do:
Internal dancehall energy recall:
- Mentally hear my favorite dancehall track
- Remember the feeling of dancing to it
- Adjust my physical posture to match that energy
- Breathe into my body the way I do when moving to dancehall
- Reconnect with that unapologetic energy
The effect:
Instead of collapsing into doubt or defensiveness, I return to centered confidence.
During Creative Work
When creating:
Whether in studio, writing lyrics, or creating content, I keep dancehall energy present.
What this looks like:
- Playing dancehall (my own or others’) while working
- Taking movement breaks when feeling stuck
- Channeling dancehall’s boldness into creative choices
- Allowing dancehall’s unapologetic expression to guide my work
The benefit:
My creative work carries the same confident energy I practice daily. It’s authentic because I’m creating from that state, not trying to fake it.
The Physical Practices: How I Embody Confidence
Confidence is physical. Here’s how I train it through dancehall energy.
The Walk
Dancehall walk:
There’s a specific way people move in dancehall culture—a walk that’s confident but relaxed, purposeful but fluid.
What I practice:
- Shoulders back but not tense
- Chest open
- Head up, chin level
- Movement from the hips
- Fluid, not stiff
- Taking up space without apology
When I practice:
Walking anywhere—studio, street, store, stage. I consciously walk with dancehall energy.
The transformation:
How you walk affects how you feel. Walk confidently for 5 minutes, and you’ll start feeling more confident. It’s not fake it till you make it—it’s embody it to become it.
The Posture
Dancehall posture:
Open, expansive, taking up space. Not collapsed or minimized.
What I practice:
- Sitting with open chest
- Standing with weight distributed evenly
- Occupying full physical space available
- Not making myself smaller
Why it matters:
Confident posture sends signals to your nervous system: “I’m safe, I’m powerful, I belong here.” Your body affects your mind as much as your mind affects your body.
The Movement
Dancehall movement:
Bold, uninhibited, expressive, powerful.
What I practice:
- Moving with intention and purpose
- Not minimizing or hiding movement
- Dancing freely without self-consciousness
- Expressing physically without restraint
Where this shows up:
- Performances (obviously)
- Creative work (moving while writing)
- Daily life (dancing while cooking, getting ready, etc.)
- Exercise and physical activity
The benefit:
Regular bold movement trains your nervous system to be comfortable with boldness. Over time, confident movement becomes natural, not forced.
The Voice
Dancehall vocal energy:
Clear, powerful, unapologetic. Dancehall deejays don’t mumble—they project.
What I practice:
- Speaking clearly and at full volume
- Not diminishing my voice
- Expressing opinions without excessive hedging
- Using vocal tone that carries confidence
Why it matters:
How you speak affects how people perceive you and how you perceive yourself. Speaking with power creates power.
The Mental Practices: How I Think with Dancehall Energy
Physical practices are the foundation, but mental practices matter too.
The Inner Soundtrack
The practice:
I maintain an internal “soundtrack” of dancehall energy throughout the day.
What this means:
- Mentally hearing dancehall rhythms during daily activities
- Recalling lyrics that embody confidence
- Feeling the bass mentally when I need grounding
- Using dancehall as internal pep talk
How I use it:
Before speaking up in a meeting: mentally hear an aggressive dancehall track
When facing uncertainty: recall lyrics about confidence and power
When feeling small: remember the bass and how it makes me feel
The effect:
This internal soundtrack keeps me connected to confident energy even when I can’t physically play music.
The Attitude Adoption
The practice:
Adopting dancehall’s “I belong here” attitude consciously.
What this looks like:
- Entering spaces like I own them
- Not asking permission to be myself
- Expressing opinions without excessive qualifiers
- Taking up space without apology
- Showing up fully without dimming
Where this came from:
Dancehall culture teaches you to show up fully. In sessions, you don’t shrink—you bring your energy boldly. I apply this everywhere.
The reframe:
Instead of “Is it okay if I’m here?” → “I belong here.”
Instead of “Sorry to bother you” → “Grateful for your time.”
Instead of “This might be stupid but…” → “Here’s what I think…”
The Celebration Practice
The practice:
Dancehall is celebratory. I practice celebrating myself daily.
What this looks like:
- Acknowledging daily wins, no matter how small
- Celebrating progress, not just perfection
- Expressing joy about my growth
- Not downplaying accomplishments
Why this matters:
Confident people celebrate themselves. They don’t wait for others to validate them. Dancehall teaches this—the music celebrates being alive, being yourself, being here.
My practice:
After creating something, recording something, or accomplishing anything, I literally play a dancehall track and dance for 2 minutes as celebration. This trains my brain to associate my actions with celebration and confidence.
The Cultural Connection: Why Dancehall Specifically
You might wonder: why dancehall specifically? Couldn’t any music build confidence?
The Caribbean Confidence
What’s unique about Caribbean culture:
There’s a specific confidence in Caribbean culture—especially Jamaican culture—that’s different from Western confidence.
Western confidence often says:
“I’m better than others. I’ve achieved more. I’m superior.”
Caribbean/Dancehall confidence says:
“I’m exactly who I am, unapologetically. I don’t need to prove anything. I exist fully and that’s enough.”
The difference matters:
One is comparative and competitive. The other is grounded and self-assured. I prefer the latter.
The Struggle and Triumph Dynamic
Why dancehall carries this energy:
Dancehall emerged from communities facing real challenges—economic hardship, limited opportunities, colonial history. Yet the music is celebratory, confident, life-affirming.
What this teaches:
Confidence isn’t about having perfect circumstances. It’s about showing up fully despite circumstances. Dancehall models this perfectly—joy and confidence emerging from struggle.
Why this resonates:
As an independent artist building a career with limited resources, I face real challenges. Dancehall reminds me that confidence doesn’t require perfect conditions—it’s a choice despite conditions.
The Community Aspect
Dancehall is communal:
Confidence in dancehall culture isn’t solitary. It’s built and expressed in community—at sessions, in the streets, through shared culture.
What this provides:
When I connect with dancehall energy, I’m connecting with my community, my culture, my people. That collective energy is more powerful than individual willpower.
The benefit:
Confidence built on cultural connection is deeper and more sustainable than confidence built on individual achievement alone.
Practical Tips: How You Can Use Dancehall Energy
You don’t need to be Jamaican or a dancehall artist to use this practice.
For Anyone (Regardless of Background)
Start here:
1. Create your confidence playlist:
Select 5-10 dancehall tracks that make you feel powerful and confident. Not background music—tracks that demand attention.
2. Morning movement practice:
Spend 10 minutes each morning moving to your playlist. Don’t perform—just let your body respond to the energy.
3. Pre-important-moment activation:
Before anything requiring confidence, play a track and move for 3-5 minutes. Walk in carrying that energy.
4. Study the culture:
Learn about dancehall culture, Caribbean confidence, the attitude and mindset. Understand what you’re connecting with.
5. Practice bold embodiment:
Walk, move, speak with the energy you feel in the music. Make it a daily practice.
For Artists Specifically
Additional practices:
1. Channel energy into your work:
Whatever you create, let dancehall energy inform it—not just sonically, but energetically.
2. Performance practice:
Practice performing with dancehall confidence—bold, unapologetic, commanding attention.
3. Content creation:
Create social media content with the same energy. Be bold, be unapologetic, take up space.
4. Community connection:
Connect with other artists who understand and embody this energy. Energy is amplified in community.
The Transformation I’ve Experienced
Let me share what changed when I made this a daily practice.
Before: Confidence That Fluctuated
Old pattern:
My confidence was entirely dependent on external circumstances:
- Good metrics = confident
- Bad metrics = doubt
- Others’ success = inadequacy
- Criticism = collapse
The problem:
External circumstances are always changing. Basing confidence on them meant constant emotional whiplash.
After: Confidence That’s Grounded
New pattern:
My confidence is internally generated through daily practice:
- Metrics don’t define my worth
- Others’ success doesn’t threaten mine
- Criticism doesn’t devastate me
- I know my value regardless of circumstances
The difference:
Confidence isn’t dependent on what happens to me—it’s something I actively cultivate and maintain daily through dancehall energy practice.
Specific Changes
Public speaking and performance:
Used to feel nervous and uncertain. Now I walk into any space carrying dancehall energy—confident and grounded.
Creative work:
Used to second-guess everything. Now I create boldly, trusting my instincts and expressing unapologetically.
Social interactions:
Used to minimize myself, especially around successful people. Now I show up fully, knowing I belong in any space.
Handling criticism:
Used to internalize and collapse. Now I can receive feedback without losing my center.
Daily life:
Used to walk through life apologetically. Now I move with purpose and confidence.
The Practice Is the Point
Here’s what I want you to understand:
This isn’t about faking confidence.
It’s about cultivating real confidence through embodied practice. The practice is what creates the confidence—it’s not pretending until it becomes real. It’s practicing until it becomes natural.
This isn’t cultural appropriation.
If you’re not Caribbean, you can still connect with this energy respectfully. Appreciate the culture, honor its origins, learn about its context, and let the energy inspire your own authentic confidence.
This isn’t just for artists.
Anyone can use this practice. Dancehall energy is available to anyone willing to connect with it genuinely.
This requires daily practice.
You can’t do this once and expect permanent transformation. Like any practice—meditation, exercise, skill development—consistent daily practice creates lasting change.
Your Invitation
Try this for 30 days:
Week 1: Morning 10-minute dance practice with dancehall music
Week 2: Add pre-important-moment activation
Week 3: Practice bold embodiment throughout the day
Week 4: Integrate fully—dancehall energy as daily foundation
Notice what changes:
- How you feel physically
- Your confidence levels
- How you show up in various situations
- Others’ responses to you
- Your overall sense of power and presence
My prediction:
If you genuinely practice for 30 days, you’ll experience noticeable transformation. Not magic—just the compound effect of daily confidence practice.
Final Truth
Confidence isn’t something you’re born with.
It’s something you build, practice, and maintain.
Dancehall energy is one of the most powerful tools I’ve found for building it.
Not because the music is magic, but because the practice of connecting with bold, unapologetic, joyful energy daily creates embodied confidence that persists regardless of circumstances.
This is how I stay confident every day as Tray Millen.
Not through affirmations or positive thinking alone, but through embodied practice using the energy of the culture and music I love.
You can do this too.
The energy is available. The practice is simple. The results are transformative.
Let dancehall energy teach you confidence.
Your life will never be the same.
Ready to build unshakable confidence through daily practice? Subscribe to the TrayMillen.com newsletter for confidence practices, dancehall culture insights, and support on this journey. Join our community building confidence together.
Free download: “The 30-Day Dancehall Confidence Challenge” at TrayMillen.com/confidence
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