Today, 7th December, British Nigerian artist J-Sol releases a fresh new single, ‘Grey Area’. Stream ‘Grey Area’ Here. The song is the second offering for Sol’s upcoming EP, slated for release in 2024.
Following on from the recent release of the Afropop/R&B-tinged single ‘Toxic Love’, the new cut written and produced by J-Sol, is an introspective and intimate journey into the intricate nuances of love and relationships. Written and recorded in the artists’ East London bedroom, is the perfect take on the old-school R&B-inflected ballad blended with contemporary production and layered with smooth and dynamic buttery vocals.
“The lyrics explore the apprehension of commitment, stemming from personal past traumas and heartbreaks, which have left me feeling jaded, cynical and cautious,” explains J-Sol. “With this song, I tried to capture the “grey area” of my emotions, as I grappled with the fear of vulnerability while simultaneously yearning for a deep connection.”
The new project comes after last year’s ‘R4L’ which earned the title “Record of the Week” on BBC 1xtra and secured a playlist spot on Kiss Fresh’s B-list. The single peaked at #5 on the Music Week chart, spending 9 weeks on the chart. His 2021 love meets conscious ballad ‘Free’, premiered on Kiss FM and was supported by BBC 1xtra’s DJ Ace & Nadia Jae, among others.
Talking about the upcoming EP, J-Sol says; “ the project sparked from my therapist being brutally honest with me saying I’m toxic (in the most loving way)”. It marks a turning point for the singer-songwriter, who explains how the EP “is a healing journey about my experiences with love, from sexual relationships to platonic love including friendships and family. I wrote and produced part of the songs during a trip to LA to find myself, but it was fully recorded in my bedroom and I executive produced and wrote every song”.
With continued support coming from the likes of Kiss 100, Rinse FM, Represent FM, BBC 1xtra, and Capital Xtra at radio, as well as GRM Daily, SBTV, Link Up TV, and Rated RnB, J-Sol’s upcoming single ‘ Grey Area’ and EP signal a new era both stylistically and sonically for The Brit School alumni.
EDITOR’S NOTES
Known for his smooth and soulful sound, London-born artist J-Sol carries the torch for the UK’s ever-evolving R&B scene. J-Sol’s rise to fame was not without obstacles, a common experience for British R&B artists who have had to overcome the aftermath of the overhype and peak times of PBR&B or Alternative R&B in 2013.
He rose to prominence with his YouTube covers, which resulted in ‘Into The Covers’, two covers EPs, accumulating over 20 million streams and 100 million views and saw support from Spotify Editorial. Since then, J-Sol has released several singles and EPs, after supporting the likes of Boyz II Men, Jeremih and Little Mix, among others, in 2018, J-Sol released a powerful live performance of his song ‘Bullet In My Heart’ written about the sudden passing of his mother which went on to go viral with over 20 million views.
In the same year, his sold-out headline show at the London O2 Academy, further established him as one to watch. Further recognition saw J-Sol winning the Sony ATV songwriting competition and the Young Achiever Award at the BEFFTA awards. In September 2020 ‘Bullet In My Heart’ went viral on TikTok with over 3.4 million views in under 48 hours. J-Sol has accumulated over 20 million streams and 100 million views across various platforms, including entering the Spotify Viral Charts in multiple countries including France, Sweden, United States Global and Canada.
As the son of a preacher, he grew up surrounded by gospel music and played the drums in church every Sunday. Being raised singing in the church choir, he became fluent in neo-soul and R&B, incorporating the gospel influence into his music before starting honing his songwriting skills at the prestigious BRIT School alongside the likes of Adele, Leona Lewis, Raye and FKA Twigs.
LINKS
Web: https://www.jsolworld.co.uk/home
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsolworld / @jsolworld
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsolworld / @JSoLworld
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jsolworld / @jsolworld