It had been seven years since PartyNextDoor had performed at The 6. But on a Thursday night last May, about 2,500 fans at History — Drake, the head of Party's OVO label in Toronto, opened in partnership with Live Nation in 2021 — he was welcomed home. town, feverishly singing the lyrics to his favorite hits like “Wus Good/Curious”.
SiriusXM Canada tapped the singer, songwriter and producer to headline its free, sold-out PartyNextDoor & Friends concert to celebrate its new 24/7 hip-hop and R&B channel. Mixtape: North, which highlights homegrown talent in Canada. And what better way to honor country's brightest stars than by turning History into a full-on OVO Fest? Almost the entire roster of the label's influencers took the stage, and even Drake himself made a surprise appearance to perform his and Party's mid-2010s collaborations “Recognize” and “Come and See Me.”
“I don't want to put you on the spot or anything. I know you hate this more,” Drake said, laughing, his arm wrapped around his introverted partner. “I am so grateful for you. I wouldn't be the artist I am if it wasn't for you.” Then, turning to the audience: “This is truly my favorite artist in the world.”
Over the past decade, Party, 30, established himself as an alternative R&B writer who captivated listeners — and shaped his genre — with hazy, hypnotic Auto-Tuned vocal melodies, nocturnal trap production and carnal yet knowing lyricism about pleasures (and the problems) the first hours sometimes bring. And while this often added to a late-night, hedonistic vibe, his authentic, laid-back rhythms and dancehall-infused beats gave his music an irresistible Caribbean flavor.
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