BJ The Chicago Kid has signed a deal with RCA Records through a joint venture with Yeti Beats’ Reach The World Records.
“With Yeti lending his creative magic to some of the biggest acts in the world, and BJ the Chicago Kid being the seasoned soulful, and distinguished voice in R&B he’s become, RCA could not have been more excited to get behind this bold and unique collaborative project,” RCA Records shares in a statement.
Along with his new label announcement, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter has released his new single “Forgot Your Name.” The soulful track, which features Cory Henry, was produced by Yeti Beats.
“Forgot Your Name” finds BJ The Chicago in an awkward, yet relatable situation where he meets someone at the bar, and after several drinks and laughs, he ends up forgetting their name.
“Can I be honest with you? / Baby don’t get mad / I’ma just gonna come out and say it / Hey, we been laughing and joking, dancing and smoking, babe / But these drinks so strong that I forgot your name,” he sings in the catchy chorus.
Speaking on “Forgot Your Name,” BJ The Chicago Kid shares, “As a songwriter, I strive to capture the essence of a moment and turn it into a story that resonates with others. This song is inspired by that feeling of meeting someone at a bar and being swept up in the moment, only to realize you can’t remember their name.”
He adds, “It’s a mix of excitement and vulnerability, but ultimately it’s about the universal desire to connect with others and create meaningful experiences that last long after the night is over.”
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“Forgot Your Name” is the first offering from BJ The Chicago Kid and Yeti Beat’s forthcoming joint album, set to arrive this summer.
“This project is a dream manifested into reality for me,” says Yeti Beats. “I had the idea of producing a record influenced by the music of my favorite soul singer, Al Green, and recording it with a live band. Traveling to Memphis to record in his studio was an immense honor for all of us.”
Their upcoming project was recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The iconic studio is where soul legend Al Green recorded his iconic albums Let’s Stay Together and I’m Still in Love with You.
The album will follow BJ The Chicago Kid’s 2019 LP, 1123, titled after his birthday (Nov. 23). 1123 scored him a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album.
The 13-track album featured guest appearances from Anderson.Paak, Eric Bellinger, Rick Ross and more. The album’s single “Time Today” also landed him a nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
In 2021, BJ The Chicago Kid announced that he had parted ways with Motown Records, where he released his first two albums: In My Mind and 1123.
In a 2021 interview with Rated R&B, he spoke more about becoming an independent artist again. “One of the things is the frequency of music being released more,” he told Rated R&B. “Seeing me more visibly, seeing me more often. I think that’s a big part as far as getting the music to the fans. That’s one way that I think would be extremely better. It’s already been that way so far.”
BJ The Chicago Kid released two EPs in 2021: 4 AM and Three. He also joined forces with PJ Morton, Kenyon Dixon and Charlie Bereal for “Bring It on Home to Me,” to honor soul icon Sam Cooke. The song was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 64th Grammy Awards.
Last year, he contributed to Robert Glasper’s Black Radio III album.
Most recently, BJ appeared on Creed III: The Soundtrack, released in March, and teamed with Full Crate on his new song “Show Her the Way,” released in April.
Listen to BJ The Chicago Kid’s new single “Forgot Your Name” featuring Cory Henry below.
