JaiWAN

Although countless artists strive to meld urban music with an inspirational message, few do it with the finesse and creativity of new recording artist JaiWAN. While drawing obvious comparisons to gospel contemporaries J Moss and Deitrick Haddon, JaiWAN takes it to another level, and to a broader audience. The Detroit native showcases a slick, polished sound easily mistaken for current urban chart-topping successes, but there’s something different about this young man. He’s shared the stage with artists like The Winans, Donnie McClurkin and Lexi, but his mission isn’t about gold records or a case full of awards. No, this artist has a mission of ministry. And Relationships (Intervention Records/Worldwide Music/KOCH Entertainment), his brand new release and musical foray as a recording artist, is not only an audible illustration of enormous musical talent, but it’s his way of giving back to God who literally brought him back from the jaws of death.

As a young man, JaiWAN understands the struggles of life. And because of that understanding, he’s created a musical masterpiece that reflects real-life situations. But he’s done it with a twist. He’s taken the complexities of relationships and inserted God making this a unique and incredibly innovative musical collage. Writing nine of the album’s tracks, JaiWAN is unapologetic about crossing musical genre lines, yet at the same time, he never fails to give a pleasant and well-executed musical experience. The 12-track CD, Relationships, includes messages about human relationships as well as the Ultimate Love Relationship. The artist wanted to make sure the importance of relationships were highlighted in the project. “The purpose of the CD is to establish healthy relationships, not only with each other, but with God,” says JaiWAN. “I believe if you put God first, all the other relationships in life will be healthy, too” he says.

Pulling in some of the best in the business, Relationships taps producers like Tha Stuntmen (J. Moss, Deep Blue Sea Soundtrack), Randy Scott (Tim Bowman, Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin), GLASS (Chris Brown), Inferno (Mario Winans) and Writers A Plus (Bobby Valentino, Beyonce’). Hitting hard from beat one, JaiWAN slams out of the gate with the refreshing cut, “‘N Love.” A groove that can easily go toe to toe with anything on radio, this smooth track is talking about being in love – like never before. “Dance”, with its thick back beat and slick street groove, beckons the listener to dance while they have a chance.

“Jesus Is My Homeboy” carries a contagious and danceable hip hop beat showcasing an electric vibe with the question, “Are you family and friends with God?” As a matter of fact, this track is so hot, it’s worthy of the Extended Mix at the end of the project. “Speechless”, a song about words falling short in the presence of God, and “Take You For Granted”, sung from a gratitude-filled heart, are two God-focused cuts. Although JaiWAN gives listeners some serious dance numbers on Relationships, the lead single “Belong 2 U” shows that the singer can slow it down with some solid mellow musical offerings. The lyrics are a poignant reminder that nothing belongs to us.

Donnie McClurkin’s megahit, “Speak To My Heart” is breathed new life with a fresh interpretation from JaiWAN. Vocally, he’s got the chops to take the classic to new heights and doesn’t fail to do so. The backing vocals on this one are truly sweet.

JaiWAN knows how to bring things down to earth with music centered on the human experience. Bringing to mind thoughts of Prince, “Keep It Go’N” is an uptempo track about doing what’s necessary to keep a good relationship going. And “Back 2 The Beginning”, with its acoustic guitar, is a breathtakingly innovative song. Soft, and relaxing, yet, powerful, the message is about holding on to a positive relationship by taking it “back to the beginning” and keeping God as the focus.

JaiWAN doesn’t shy away from talking about steering clear of toxic relationships, too, as he delves into the memorable mid-tempo cut, “So Cold”, where he warns about getting in the wrong relationships. It’s his ability to deal with real issues and real topics while maintaining an unabashedly Christian perspective that makes this one of the most exciting debuts to hit music in a while.

Although it seems that this gifted vocalist came out of nowhere, JaiWAN has been honing his musical gift for years. He started singing at the age of four and began singing in his church choir shortly after. He was frequently chosen to sing solos at notable churches in the Detroit area. Ultimately, his father started a church where JaiWAN continued to use his talents. Many took notice of his amazing ability, including Motown Records, but having grown up in a strict COGIC background, singing mainstream music wasn’t an option for him.

It wasn’t until 2005 on a life-changing day that his music took on new meaning. “I had been laid off for ab