NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� What music would you create if there weren鈥檛 any outside influences or self-imposed creative restraints?
鈥淲hat would I do if I didn鈥檛 have any fear of comparing myself to 鈥業CU鈥� and my EP? Or if I thought there was some formula that people wanted from me?鈥� Jones wondered. 鈥淭hat was kind of the mood: just be fearless.鈥�
The R&B star attempted to answer herself on her debut album 鈥� 鈥淲hy Not More?," 鈥� releasing Friday. It follows her 2022 breakout EP 鈥淲hat I Didn鈥檛 Tell You.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just proud of every version of myself that I鈥檝e been, and who I鈥檒l become after this album,鈥� said Jones, with 鈥淚CU鈥� winning best R&B performance. 鈥淎nd really proud of putting together a project that I feel confident in.鈥�
The 14-track album from the 鈥淏el-Air鈥� actor traverses through a spectrum of R&B sonics and vibes, from introspective to seductive, Pop&B to Trap&B. Writing on every song, Jones secured production from StarGate, London on Da Track and Jasper Harris and features from Future and YG Marley.
One of the faces of the new generation of R&B, she doesn鈥檛 shy away from the pressure that can come with attempting to replicate the success of a song like 鈥淚CU.鈥�
鈥淭here was a pressure to outdo myself. But I also have to remind myself that I wasn鈥檛 trying to win anything 鈥� I was just doing me,鈥� explained Jones, who said for the first time, she was patient with herself during studio sessions for her debut, not focused on leaving with a completed song each time. 鈥淚 was just doing what felt right. I was being honest, I was just being vulnerable.鈥�
鈥淲hy Not More?鈥� highlights Jones鈥� vast range of melodic styles. Four singles have been released including which earned Jones her first No. 1 on Billboard鈥檚 Adult R&B Airplay chart, and currently at No. 15.
In the ballad 鈥淥ther Side of Love,鈥� Jones finds herself at a crossroads in a relationship, singing 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why I can鈥檛 get your love outta my mind / It鈥檚 like I try but you come back around every time.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably the oldest song on the album 鈥� It was always a song that I knew was on the back burner whenever I was ready, I had something right there ready for them. But it was kind of just not time yet,鈥� said the 27-year-old Tennessee native. 鈥淚 might drop a song like 鈥楾aste,鈥� but I鈥檓 always gonna have a song like 鈥極ther Side of Love鈥� because I can鈥檛 deny that version of myself either.鈥�
Empowerment is also a theme, rejecting codependence and embracing self-love on 鈥淏y Myself.鈥�
鈥淭he song that defines me the most is 鈥楤y Myself.鈥� I wrote that one literally because I was going through a situation verbatim, and I was like I don鈥檛 wanna feel like anybody else is so crucial for me to be the best version of me 鈥� I can鈥檛 live like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll of the answers can鈥檛 come from anyone else 鈥� I鈥檓 so big on the inner work and therapy and growing emotionally.鈥�
Jones, who stars as Hilary Banks on the drama series 鈥淏el-Air,鈥� is prepping for the fourth and final season which hasn鈥檛 started production. She鈥檒l balance filming with her upcoming tour, launching May 6 in Philadelphia.
A self-described overachiever, says there are many goals she wants to reach, but she鈥檚 traveling in the right direction.
鈥淢y childhood dreams, I still have yet to fully achieve them all. I definitely see them materializing, but the way I thought of myself as a kid was huge, like larger than life,鈥� said Jones, who first signed a record deal at 14. 鈥淚 have a lot of ways to go to really be what childhood Coco saw for me. And I hope I do, because I was shooting for the galaxy.鈥�
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Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
