The song “Sanctuary” by Joji has been in the midst of my Spotify playlist for quite a while now. I had never heard of any further songs composed by him—I thought maybe he was just a one-hit-wonder type of guy. 

Most recently, I’ve been trying to expand my music taste. I yearn for something different—something unlike the basics of 2020’s pop and rap. When the album Nectar appeared under the category of “New Releases For You” on my Spotify home page, I thought it’d be worth a listen; I thought perhaps it’d be that “different” type of music I’ve been so desperately in search of.

That’s when I connected the dots.

“Sanctuary”—the song that’s been hidden in my playlist for so long—was a part of a fantastic playlist I had just now discovered. In my defense, Joji’s full album Nectar had only released a little over a week ago, so I wasn’t too late to listen. 

I truly didn’t think any of his other songs had the capability to rank higher on my scale than “Sanctuary,” but when I came across one of his songs called “Mr. Hollywood,” I was mistaken. 

“Mr. Hollywood, won’t you come back soon?” is the opening line that sets the entire vibe for the track. The lyric is sung with such passion and love; I can tell simply by his tone that he’s deeply missing this mysterious “Mr. Hollywood.” I’ve been listening to this song on repeat because of it’s incredible background beats and tunes. The lyrics are so simple yet fit so brilliantly with Joji’s angelic voice. It certainly did not take long for this beautifully-sung track to join “Sanctuary” on my favorite playlist.

However, Joji did not conduct this mesmerizing album alone. With the help of other talented artists like BENEE, Lil Yachty, and Omar Apollo, this album turned out to be immaculate. All four singers have different flavors that blend together so perfectly, so when each of them collaborates, their individual songs are out of this world.

For instance, Joji and BENEE—a power duo, in my opinion—released a song titled “Afterthought.” Their voices go together so smoothly, and they complement one another within every line sung together. For three minutes and fifteen seconds, I am blown into another world of relaxation and peace when playing this song. Throughout, they seem to be holding a conversation; BENEE sings with the feeling of regret in her voice and Joji with hope. This convinces me that choosing the title “Afterthought” is meaning that they’re expressing their feelings after a relationship that meant the world to both of them. Both of them are sharing their emotions within the aftermath of whatever it is they shared.

Yet another song that caught my attention is “NITROUS.” I have been a lover of singer-songwriter Frank Ocean for some time now, and this song greatly reminds me of him. Ocean withholds a peaceful, simple, and vibey way of music—which is right down my alley. Literally within seconds, I fell in love with “NITROUS.” The tunes that comprise this song make me believe that I could listen to this song forever. And ever. 

I still am in shock that I hadn’t discovered the depths of Joji until just recently. I didn’t know he was capable of such beauty and grace within his songs. To put it simply, his voice is just amazing. Joji deserves so much more recognition for his exceptional new album Nectar.

So please, go give it a listen. Undoubtedly, his alluring voice and brilliant lyrics will not disappoint you.