R&B balladeer Givēon has delivered his sophomore album, BELOVED, via Not So Fast/Epic Records.
Executive produced by Sevn Thomas, BELOVED is an ode to classic soul from the ’70s, with its lush instrumentation — cinematic strings, regal horns, stirring bass and warm drums — paired with emotive storytelling.
Givēon bares his soul across the album’s 14 tracks as he tells a modern love story. His vulnerability cuts through whether he’s dwelling on the lows, luxuriating in the highs, or questioning the in-between.
“Mud,” the opening track co-written by frequent collaborator Leon Thomas, is a smooth confrontation with an ex-lover who did wrong by him: “You run my name through the mud / Wipe that dirt off your shoes.” As messy as a romance can be, “Rather Be” brushes all of that aside as a plea to keep it afloat, though “Strangers” is a sober realization that the ship has sailed. “Looks like you don’t miss me at all / At least that’s what I see on the surface,” he croons on the lovesick track.
All hope isn’t lost, though. The album’s central track, “I Can Tell,” reignites the thrill of romance, with a dose of toxicity. Here, Givēon reads all the signs that a potential love interest isn’t happy with her current partner and he doesn’t hesitate to shoot his shot. “I’ll admit it, I’m a bit impatient / If you let me, I’ma take his place,” he sings. With lyrics like, “Tell me, is it his or mine?” it’s safe to say they find a way to connect, even if it’s their whispered secret.
On “Bleeding,” Givēon finds himself questioning the future of a relationship. His instincts, possibly fueled by insecurity, tell him that his lover hasn’t moved on from her ex, which cuts through his heart like a knife. “I can see it in your eyes, how you’re still attached,” he sings.
Closing with “Good Bad Ugly,” also co-written by Leon Thomas, embraces love’s full spectrum: “I love you ‘cause you love me / Through the good, bad, and ugly.”
Regarding his new album, Givēon notes, “BELOVED is a complete encapsulation of the very transformative growth I experienced over the past three years. My trials and tribulations, the good and the bad, all helped form this album. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed creating.”
In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, the baritone singer discussed how soul music impacted his artistry. “There’s that element where I’m doing this because it’s in my DNA. I didn’t choose music,” Givēon said. “I really care about rhythm and blues. It means a lot to me, so I also want to make sure I’m pushing it at the same time, making sure we don’t move away from analogue too far.”
He continued, “Because digital is important, but you’re going to start to miss soul. Black American soul music gets disrespected a lot. I say disrespect because it doesn’t get its credit for what the influences had on other genres or other forms of music… There’s a specific space and soul that’s not talked about enough. Like, Teddy P is not talked about enough.”
BELOVED is the follow-up to Givēon’s debut album, Give Or Take, released in 2022. His new project was preceded by the singles “Twenties,” released ahead of his 30th birthday, and “Rather Be.”
Regarding the former, Givēon shared, “This story perfectly encapsulates the experience of investing your most precious years into love. But unfortunately, a love that expires.”
Of his first album, Givēon told Rated R&B, “My debut album, Give Or Take, is a collection of reminiscences over the last few years of my life. Suddenly having to adapt to a world in which there are so many eyes watching and experiencing a wide spectrum of emotions at once naturally brought these songs to the surface.”
Give Or Take included the platinum-selling hit “For Tonight” and “Lie Again.”
Stream Givēon’s new album BELOVED below.
