(October 15, 2024) Chaos, turmoil, dysfunction and heartbreak: everyone’s experienced those emotions at one time or another, and every so often, we wonder if happiness (or even sanity) awaits us on the other side. We learn, eventually, that the only way to get out of a storm is to trudge right through it, which is what Na’J Tirique aims to do in the mellow, midtempo anthem, “Rise Again.”
An Atlanta native who’s been cultivating his solo star aspirations for over a decade, Na’J’s first single from his just-released EP, R&B Avenue, addresses the aftermath of an inevitable breakup, but the message can apply to any quandary in life: “I be so confused with what is going on, you never told me what did I do wrong/But you just keep on playing and I’m not gon’ keep on waiting on you.” His warm croon, underscored with wisps of synthesizer and talk box, also displays Na’J’s skill and control.
Langston Hughes once famously said, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair,” but the lesson isn’t the hard climb—-it’s making it to the destination. Consider adding “Rise Again” to your playlist in anticipation of that splintery stair, knowing that soon enough, Na’J’s vocal and songwriting talents are taking him right on that same path……..headed to the top.
By Melody Charles
