Mad Love. - Jojo
(Genre: Pop/R&B)
Jojo is a lady that I've always had an interest in way back when she told us it was "A Little Too Late" and to "Leave (Get Out)". But all puns aside, she definitely was one that captured my attention by being one of the first to appeal to both a black & white audience with the likes of Christina Aguilera at the time. As time went on, new music from this soulful singer became hard to find due to the Blackground label dispute. During that time, only if you were attentive you were able to catch her mixtapes, "Can't Take That Away from Me" & "Agape", and the "#LoveJo" EPs. After the announcement of her freedom from the label and joining Atlantic Records, the tringle EP (III.) had me eagerly awaiting a full album.
Being able to ride the line of pop and R&B, this LP delivered in all fronts throughout the tracklist. The songs reaffirm how she should be considered a predecessor of her now contemporaries like Ariana Grande & Alessia Cara. The singles push her R&B edge to the forefront with "No Apologies." featuring Wiz Khalifa and "FAB." featuring Remy Ma. Then "Music." as the final pre-released track is a ballad that has more pop appeal without sacrificing her strong vocal ability. This overall spectrum between genres span the album in a rather cohesive manner as Jojo performs them so naturally, especially having writing credits on every song.
Tracks like the sexy "Like This.", sultry "Edibles.", & melancholy "Reckless." highlight her R&B sensibilities. "Clovers.", "Good Thing.", & "Rise Up." really display her pop appeal. While songs that really blur the line like "I Can Only." featuring Alessia Cara, "Mad Love.", & "Honest." prove that Jojo has been made an underrated artist due her circumstances. I personally love the spite delivered in "High Heels." and the honesty in "I Am.". "Vibe." and "Good Thing." never fail to get me moving. Yet, my favorite might have to be "Edibles." because even though I'm not necessarily interested in taking any drugs, Jojo comes off as quite the temptress.
In summary, I have got to say that this is seriously a great album for Jojo's grand return to the greater public. Every single song on the album has heart and likeability which is perfect for her reentry to the mainstream. She not only fits right into the current landscape of radio, but still maintains a unique identity. I highly would recommend this to anyone who is fan of artists who bridge the gap of pop and R&B like the aforementioned Ariana Grande and Tori Kelly. As you can tell, because of the this project I can only show Jojo mad love!
For more Jojo without the K.C.:
Baby, It's You feat. Bow Wow (How I knew she was a crossover artist)
In the Dark (How I found out she's still dope)
Take the Canyon (One of my favorites from Agape)
Thinking Out Loud (This song's structure just chills me)
Demonstrate (This along with Disaster made us think of how she was back)
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