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J. Holiday
About J. Holiday
(J. HolidayBiography)
In mid-2007, a reserved, amicable,
soon-to-be-star shuffled out of a hotel elevator for his initial
biography interview. His earnest, boyish features creased repeatedly
into easy grins, and his unaffected, endearing manner reflected a sturdy
upbringing and a refreshing newness to the entertainment game. The world
had yet to meet J. Holiday. Well, what a difference a year makes. Now in
late 2008, having put the finishing touches on his sophomore album Round
2, the 25-year-old singer sat for this current biography with a quiet
purposefulness, a portfolio overflowing with praise, and a global fan
base at his fingertips.
"It's been an amazing year, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished,"
he reflects in typically understated fashion. "You always balance your
hopes about what the fans will appreciate versus the reality that it
might not work out." By accomplishments, he means: consecutive
back-to-back #1 R&B singles "Bed" and "Suffocate;" utterlyusurping of
BET's 106 & Park; his album Back of my ‘Lac debuting #1 on the R&B chart
and selling nearly 800,000 copies; BET and American Music Award
nominations for Best Male R&B Artist; and the most recent capstone—a
Grammy Award Nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album. "I'm glad to
have the respect of my peers," he says about the Grammy nod. "It's nice
to be recognized for putting out real music."
Bridging 2007 and 2008, J. Holiday took to the road, wooing fans from
Texas to Tokyo. He crashed the public consciousness as part of
R. Kelly's
ground shaking 40-stop Double Up tour, alongside
Ne-Yo and
Keyshia Cole. He also
crisscrossed the country co- headlining a 21-stop tour with fellow
crooner Trey Songz. Amidst all that, he found time to lend a breathy
hook to Fat Joe's club sizzler "I Won't Tell." "I'm still new to all
this, but I also feel seasoned," J. remarks ironically. "A lot of the
game I can do without, but I love being on stage. So I just lose myself
in that. And at the end of the day, I'm first and foremost a fan. On the
Double Up tour I'd perform first, then go sit in the crowd for the rest
of the show. People never understood that; it was never about me being
seen, it was about watching R. Kelly and Keyshia and Ne-Yo. I'm out
there taking notes. On some level, as the new guy, I had to prove that I
could hold my own with them."
Fittingly, Round 2 boasts an impressive roster; lead single "It's Yours"
springs from the artful hands of StreetLove production/writing team
members Big Reese (Mario,
T.I., Andre
3000, Pink) and Jasper Cameron (Ciara,
Tiffany Evans,
Christina Aguilera).
Unsurprisingly, "It's Yours," with its soothing, seductive sound and
J.'s enviably trademark falsetto flourishes, is the #1 most-added R&B
song to mainstream urban radio. Asked to describe the song, J. looked
sheepishly at the floor and said, "I guess J. Holiday is falling in
love." He laughed off this writer's subsequent quip: "Yeah, he's known
to do that," a wink to his romantically-themed hits.
All kidding aside, J.'s old-soul sensibilities and God-given attributes
leave little wonder as to the colossal success bestowed upon this
preacher's son. But he's not content to rest on his laurels or
regurgitate recycled material. "I'm definitely on another, more mature
level now," he confirms. "Some of the songs on this album you'd never
have heard on the first album. And it's going to continue to be a growth
process; I hope my music never stays the same. I don't want to be stuck
in a box. I want people to say ‘I like J's music' and not ‘Did you hear
that one song he did?'"
Unusual discourse in today's single-obsessed musical climate. Indeed,
Round 2 runs deep, devoid of the filler and half-hearted attempts
plaguing other offerings in the genre. "Lights Go Out" is a dawdling,
dripping, soul-slathered freak fest produced by XXXXX. "Forever Ain't
Enough" is stripped-down balladic beauty. The pulsing "Fall" manages to
touch the heart and nod the head, reminiscent of transcendent ‘80's R&B.
"Sing 2 U" throbs in a similar vein; J. Holiday appropriately references
the Chi-Lites and name checks Marvin Gaye
and Jodeci in the first verse. "Fly" is spirited and celestial, and its
synthesized hook subtly knocks the current wave of pseudo-singers
clogging up the airwaves. Meanwhile, fans wanting for some harder fare
will dig "Wrong Lover", a collaboration with Floridian flame spitter
Rick Ross. There's a whole lot here to like.
Round 2 is dense, deliberate, and destined for the rarified air gulped
in by Back of My ‘Lac. But again, critical and commercial triumph isn't
enough for J. Holiday. He's tackling weighty issues, another anomaly
given today's artists' reluctance to stick their necks out. The song
"Homeless," featuring Cee-Lo, is probing social commentary. It's also
the precursor to a larger endeavor: "I'm working on a homeless awareness
campaign," he shares. "I'm actually in the process of starting a
foundation. I'm just trying to do my part; it's an issue I feel people
don't pay enough attention to. It's always been in the back of my mind,
and now I'm in a position to better address it. This isn't to get any
personal recognition, it's just to show how many people this still
affects. I'm coming at this not looking at myself first at all." J.
plans to appear in a TV commercial, dressed in rags and posing as an
indigent on New York City's unforgiving streets, as passersby step over
him. Another admirable feather in J. Holiday's familiar fedora, although
this writer's half-serious suggestion that the campaign's motto be "I'm
a give you a bed, bed, bed," was laughingly dismissed.
J. Holiday has made a home in fans' hearts and ears. In turn, his epic
one-year odyssey has opened his own eyes: "Being inside the game has
given me a whole different perspective. I would like to think that I'm
very good at what I do, and I believe in my craft, but I still feel
blessed. I have done a lot more than some very talented people who were
in my position at one point in time, in the timeframe that I've done it.
I'm still new to all this. But I can't worry myself about what other
people are doing. I know just by staying me, my music is going to stand
on its own." So too will the world stand, and applaud.
Feb.25th
Chicago, IL -- House of Blues
Feb.26th St. Louis, MO -- Pagent
Feb.29th Baltimore, MD -- Rams Head
March 2nd New York, NY -- Nokia
Theatre
March 4th Philadelphia, PA -- TLA
March 6th Richmond, VA -- The National
March 7th Hampton, VA -- Hampton Coliseum
March 9th Lake Buena Vista, FL -- House of Blues
March 12th North Myrtle Beach, SC -- House of Blues
March 13th Atlanta, GA -- Dreamz
March 14th New Orleans, LA -- House of Blues
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J. Holiday Audio
