Elijah Blake has more to say. The genre-bending singer and songwriter has released elijah! a deluxe edition of his eponymous album.
The expanded set features all 12 tracks from the original elijah. album plus nine bonus tracks, including the previously shared “Stuck In My Ways” with Sevyn Streeter.
The album includes additional collaborations with Keyshia Cole, Kim Burrell, Salt of Salt-n-Pepa, Kirby, Maeta, Tone Stith, Jaz Karis, Tiana Major9, and Kareen Lomax.
Cole appears on “Every Little Thing,” which is a cover of country singer Carly Pearce‘s 2017 hit. Regarding his collaboration with Cole, Blake exclusively tells Rated R&B,
“Keyshia sent me her cover of ‘Every Little Thing’ some time ago. Although her label at the time never released it, that song went platinum in my voice memos. I couldn’t get past how angelic she sounded on this Prince/country-infused soulful vibe.”
He continues, “When I knew I was doing the deluxe edition for certain, I called Harmony [Samuels], who produced the record, and begged him to find the files. It was the last song I recorded for the project, so I invited her to the studio to listen. She laughed and said, ‘I love this song! Always have, but you’ll never get it cleared.’ But look at God, because here we are!”
Blake and Cole are longtime collaborators. He’s written several songs with her, including “I Choose You” and “Wonderland,” in which he also featured, from 2012’s Woman to Woman. He’s also penned songs like “Rick James” (Point of No Return) and “Incapable” (11:11 Reset), to name a few.
Tone Stith and Maeta appear on “Does Something Happen When You Hear My Name (Jason’s Song),” a beautiful tribute to their manager Jason “Hoody” Hobdy, who tragically passed away in August at 40. The late music executive’s impressive resumé included work with Elle Varner, H.E.R., K. Michelle, Lucky Daye, Rotimi, and others.
Blake released his album elijah. on Aug. 2 via MNRK Records. The album was preceded the singles “Ghostbuster,” “Sugarwater & Lime” and “Company.”
In an interview with Rated R&B, Blake explained his intention with elijah:”When I was making this project, I was like, ‘OK, Elijah, what about this project is going to make people understand why you’re not this person that you often get compared to?’ So it’s the church boy elements in me. It’s also my parents being diasporas and being Caribbean. That’s why some of my cadences in my pockets are a certain type of way.”
He continued, “Also, I love [Brandy’s album] Full Moon, but I also love The Clark Sisters and Commissioned. That’s why my layering, harmonies and arrangements are this way. I almost started to run from the riffs and runs because sometimes you get shamed for it. Like, ‘Oh, don’t nobody want to hear that.’ But again, I was raised in that, and those are the things I listen for in the singers that I like. So you’re getting all that on this project.”
Stream Elijah Blake’s elijah! deluxe album below.
