Young sensation PARTYNEXTDOOR is currently on a sold-out North American tour, making his stop in D.C. on Oct. 24 at U St. Music Hall.
The singer owes much of his success to a familiar face for hip-hop fans. Canadian rapper and singer Drake’s superstardom, catalyzed by his 2013 release “Nothing Was The Same,” allowed him to focus more upon his record label OVO Sound. Jahron Brathwaite, better known by his stage name PARTYNEXTDOOR, is signed to OVO. The singer even opened for Drake during his “Would You Like a Tour?” concert tour starting in Oct. 2013.
It’s clear that Drake sees the a bright future for the unique sound coming from Toronto R&B music. While fellow Torontonian The Weeknd (a former Drake collaborator) gravitates toward sultry beats and sensual wails, PARTYNEXTDOOR brings more of a trap element to his music while maintaining sex appeal in his lyrics.
PARTYNEXTDOOR has released two full-length projects, an eponymous project released in 2013 and “PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO” in July 2014. The subject matter on both albums has remained consistent: sex and love with the occasional song about money. However, this doesn’t veer off the path of popular R&B music on the charts today, so he is simply making the music his listeners want to hear.
Two of PARTYNEXTDOOR’s more popular songs feature Drake — no surprise there, considering the fanbase — but that doesn’t mean PARTYNEXTDOOR can’t hold down a song on his own. The blatantly sexual “Sex on the Beach” off of “PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO” expertly weaves in a sample of Disclosure’s massive hit “Latch” while matter-of-factly discussing how he wants to spend time with his lady. Another well-known song from his first project, “Wus Good / Curious,” slows things down a bit but does more to highlight his vocals than some of his other songs.
There will be critics who call PARTYNEXTDOOR’s brand of R&B shallow, but it’s important to remember his youth. A 21-year-old kid who gets to tour the world and hang out with Drake isn’t necessarily going to be singing about respectable subject matter. His music has reached millions of fans internationally with resoundingly positive feedback. His show at U St. Music Hall will give his fans a glimpse into the future of R&B — electronic influences and all — as well as performing a show that may just charm their pants right off.
