R&B newcomer Eli Derby has released his new single “Wicked.”
On the OG Parker-produced tune, Derby makes it clear that he is ready to turn a friendship into a relationship. Although he knows where his heart lies, he also isn’t going to pressure her into to moving forward if she’s not doesn’t feel the same way.
Derby sings in the first verse, “I can’t be your friend no more / ‘Cause you’ve been actin’ so unsure / I think we’ve been friends too long / You know I think it’s time we make a choice / Not ready to sacrifice it (Sacrifice it) / I’ll give you the time it takes / But I won’t press you for it / Playin’ these wicked games.”
“Wicked Games” is the first single from Derby’s upcoming EP that will release on LVRN Records/Interscope Records. The untitled project will follow his debut EP, Left On Read, which dropped earlier this year.
“The album is a reflection of a lot of the relationships I’ve gone through — mostly romantic but also friends-wise,” Derby said of Left On Read. “I feel like my generation can be anti-social and lack communication ability as a general skill.”
He added, “I wanted to pour my feelings into the music and there’s a song on here for all stages of the typical teenage love sh*t — young love, manipulation, heartbreak, moving too fast… I wanted to be able to create music that relates to what we’re going through today and hopefully create conversation from it.”
The five-track EP included his debut single “Gaslight” and the 6LACK-assisted track “Lately.” In an interview with Rated R&B, Derby explained his inspiration behind the “Lately.”
Derby shared, “‘Lately’ is about reflecting on a relationship that I went through — the chemistry, the history and just being best friends because the person I’m talking about was my best friend. It ended in a weird space, if that makes sense. I’m just reflecting on the past, honestly.”
Listen to “Wicked” by Eli Derby below.
