Collie Buddz is at the vanguard of a new wave of music sweeping the world, according to one of Britain's top-selling newspapers.

As the ascendancy of the Bermudian star continues, Buddz was featured in 'The Guardian' this weekend in an article extolling a new generation of artists of the once-derided 'white reggae' genre.

Buddz, 27, is described as the "best known" of these pioneers, who are not only appealing to the crossover market but to hardcore reggae fans too, including Jamaicans.

Writer Dave Stelfox says that one of the past issues for 'white reggae' was "the perpetually thorny issue of white performers co-opting the culture of a historically oppressed minority".

However, he says rather than being "a pale imitation of the real thing", Buddz "has penetrated the international market in a way that few Jamaican artists manage".

"Of course, it also helps that his naturally lilting Island accent lends itself perfectly to reggae's cadences, allowing him to sing convincingly in both roots and dancehall styles," says Mr. Stelfox.

Buddz, aka Colin Harper, of Southampton, told The Guardian: "In Bermuda, everyone grows up with reggae. It's a small island that imports a lot of its culture from elsewhere.

"As a teenager, I spent all my time listening to tapes from Jamaica, clashes between sound systems such as Killamanjaro and Stone Love, the latest songs by artists such as Buju Banton. Bermudian people like to party, too, so any excuse is good enough for someone to string up a set of speakers and for people to start dancing.

"That's how I started out, playing songs and chatting over them with my friends."

He added: "Race hasn't been an issue for me. The culture is very mixed in Bermuda and we're closely linked to Jamaica in many ways.

"Reggae crowds can be very demanding, but if they like you, they will show you love like no one else.

"It's that reaction that drives me, so with every record and every performance, I try to do something special.

"It's not about proving myself as a white artist. Reggae has always been in my life, so I don't want people to say that I'm good for a white guy. They're not the standards I set for myself. I want them to think the music I make is good, period."