Words by Grace Kinter
We’ve heard of hopeless romantics, but what about serial romantics? Jai’Len Josey may be both, though it’s safe to say she coined the latter term and gifted us a 13-track album to give us a better understanding. After hearing the Atlanta-based R&B songstress speak on her project and giving the album a few listens, I’ve concluded that a serial romantic is someone who gives their whole, true, genuine heart every time, not letting painful or negative experiences dim their light. Serial Romantic chronicles deeply personal phases of love: the honeymoon phase, the betrayal or heartbreak, and the subsequent rise from the ashes.
Each track is wonderfully and thoughtfully produced, vibrant with diverse instruments. Genres of house, R&B, and pop push to the surface. Serial Romantic doesn’t need empty space or things left unsaid. It builds and layers and fills the room, our headphones, and our speakers just like the all-consuming love Jai’Len writes about. Jai’Len’s vocals throughout the album defy genre. She’s soulful like HER or Ari Lennox, energetic like Chloe and Halle, and theatrical like Cynthia Erivo. Her voice can dip low, fly high, and she fills her songs with playful background vocals, clean, impressive riffs, and tons of spirit. The palpable spirit can be traced back to her time on Broadway and her theatre background. Her songs are unapologetic, dramatic, and all-encompassing. No feeling or thought is too much, too real, or too honest to admit.
The album begins with a Cinderella-like orchestra of fairy-tale-like nostalgia. At first, Jai’Len speaks to us before her vocals roll in like a magnificent wave coming to shore. “Heart and Strings” is an excellent setup that kicks off the project like a movie. The next three songs, “Freak,” “Housewife,” and “New Girl,” are filled with optimistic, flirty energy, indulging the confidence and curiosity only new love can grant you. Then by mid-album, there’s a shift in story…we’re confronted with a voice memo that seals the fate of the relationship we spent the first half of the album rooting for. The high energy remains, but Jai’Len’s emotional tone stiffens into something somber. “Truce” is my personal favorite track. The keys and drums work together to create a slow-paced, sexy groove. “Won’t Force You” brings all the frustration to a head with a truly hard-hitting chorus you’ll be singing for days. The guitar strums acoustically in the verses, then pivots to a robust electric guitar in the choruses, mirroring the mental back-and-forth of deciding whether to move on and let go or give things another try.
Jai’Len closes the album with “I Believe (Selfish).” The tune used to just be called “Selfish,” but she added “I Believe” to differentiate that being selfish is actually the best gift to herself. “But how silly would I be if I had none left for me. I believe…. all the love I have to give, I should leave some for me.” Jai’Len’s glass is half full, and her debut album is a testament to her talent, strength, and vulnerability.
