It's been five years since SiR released a full-length album – and it's a very different world than it was in 2019. More importantly, though, SiR is also a different person.
The Inglewood-bred R&B hunk has kept a relatively low profile over the past half-decade, taking some time to recalibrate his life after a stint in rehab to reach a place of literal and emotional sobriety. In his efforts to get his life back on track, SiR wrote a plethora of poems that eventually evolved into Heavy – a hard, fearless look at the flaws and vices that threatened to drown him and the faith and hope that gave him a second chance.
The songs up Heavy they are completely immersive. Unflinching looks at bad habits of the past (“Ignorant”) stand alongside poignant love letters to the next generation of young blacks (“Ricky's Song”), all wrapped up in production that gradually shifts from percussive rock next to R&B to ethereal, melodic gospel stylings. SiR describes his new LP as “dark, nasty, [and] honest in a way I never should have been,” but songs on the back half of the record — like album closer “Brighter” — signal the arrival of hard-earned optimism for the R&B star.
This level of introspection marks a stark tonal and thematic shift from his previous record, but his supple voice and evocative tone act as unmistakable throughlines in his catalog. Heavy transforms the subtly sultry atmospheric haze of its 2019 predecessor Chasing the summer in an exhausting internal dialogue performed right in front of a mirror. Here, SiR looks to the past of the Black men who raised him to forge a sense of healing for his present self—and a future without fear for the young Black men who follow him.
“It's all a story of love and how we love,” he explains. “I learned so much from my father's tragedies. It turned them into testimonies for me and I use them in my everyday life. I just want to do the same thing…it is a blessing to have guidance. More men, more black men need this kind of guidance.”
In the space since then Chasing the summer, SiR released a string of acclaimed singles (including 2022's “Nothing Even Matters”) and received his first Grammy nominations for his collaboration “Back to Love” with Alex Isley and Robert Glasper (Best R&B Song and Best R&B interpretation ). He hasn't been absent so much as carefully biding his time – under the steady guidance of TDE CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith – to properly re-enter the music scene and launch the latest entry in a discography that effortlessly embodies modern West Coast Soul.
With a new era and tour on the horizon, SiR breaks down his five favorite tracks Heavy – which hits digital streaming platforms today (March 22).
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“Ignorance” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
“Ignorant” was co-written by [Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter] Jozzy. Me and Jozzy went into the studio and it was our first meeting together. I just told her I wanted something fun. I wanted something that was kind of a different format, and it ran, man. It came together really well.
It definitely has Ty Dolla $ign, but we had a play version that ended up taking off because it was very West coast. With Ty and I's relationship, I felt like it would be better to have it as something he and I put out — even if we still use Game's verse later down the line. It's very Californian. The production might not sound like us, but what we're talking about, and the vibe of the record and the language we're using, it's just California, man. I'm a big fan of Ty, [he’s like] a big brother to me. It was special to have that n—like the one I had. It's always nice to have validation.
“Ignorance” is the beginning of my struggles. The album is about the struggle. That's where my mind was before I got lost in the sauce. I was bored with life – nothing was exciting and everything I did was like doing the same things over and over again. I wanted to paint [“Ignorant”] in a way that lets people know who I was and where I was at the time. It is very indicative.
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“I'm Not Perfect” (featuring Ab-Soul)
[“I’m Not Perfect”] it's special to me because it was actually one of the first videos we tried to shoot for the project. It was going to be a single at some point, and I think it's some of my most honest writing. I try to stay away from songs that are repetitive, but [with] This, I pointed out that I am not perfect in every line.
I love music. We made some musical changes to it at the end of the mixing process [made] it's more dynamic — it just drops, pull some drums here, add some strings there.
As far as my relationship with Ab-Soul in the realm of TDE artists, he's probably my favorite artist — but that's like my big brother, you know what I mean? He cares about me in a different way. With any artist I respect, I don't want to force anything, ever. So when I presented the record to him, I presented it as, “What do you think?” He loved it so much that he wanted to be a part of it. These kinds of moments are special to me because – f—k music, I love you as a person.
It means so much to me, because I'm a fan first. I've always been a fan of TDE, and as one of the four horsemen, I've always admired him and his terror. It's just special to have him on record.
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“You”
Man, shout out to J. White! He produced it. It's my first time working with him. He's intense, man! What was playing when we walked into the studio? He plays James Brown. That's how he said he starts his session every time. He turns around, has a good time, fixes his body, fixes his mind. I will never forget that day. It was a quick session. You don't meet producers who are in the writing process like that. A lot of times, they drop the beats and just hope you come up with something that works, but [J. White] he pushed me. It made me create.
We had a great idea of what the album was and what I wanted, and we landed in the middle of the album with me in a state. The song is just for me in the minor situation, and I'm proud of that vocal. It will be hard to sing live, but I'm proud of this vocal! On a lot of these songs, I really challenged myself in the studio and I hope the fans see that. N — as you know I'm not a singer singer, this is none of my business. But I've tried over the years to evolve my sound and part of that is taking chances vocally. I think this is a big risk vocally, but it paid off.
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“Ricky's Song”
“Ricky's Song” is a Black love song. It's about me and my real nephew Rick. He is 20 now. It's an older record, I wrote it a few years ago. It was at the time when he was in high school and he was in his transition stage. I wanted to show him that I love him, first of all. But I also wanted to paint him a picture to show him that we still care. He is now doing great in his life and I have contributed greatly to his development as a young adult.
At that time, writing the song, I wanted to show people that there is more than just love in the relationship. Men can love their family. We can love outside the box. With Rick in particular, he's such a good kid, but he's a kid. [There are] so many things he hasn't experienced or seen that I've been through and will go through whether he likes it or not. It was better for me to have this conversation with him, and putting it on wax makes it even better. We talk all the time. I love him to death and he knows it. It's a special song for me.
What's really crazy is—and I did this very intentionally—right before “Ricky's Song” at the end of “Life Is Good,” there's an interlude where my dad talks about a robbery he committed the day before. It's like he was telling me the story to show me all the mistakes he's made so that I don't make the same mistakes. This is “Ricky's Song” to me. Everything is a story of love and how we love. I learned so much from my father's tragedies. It turned them into testimonies for me and I use them in my everyday life. I just want to do the same thing with Ricky. We are all living and learning, and it is a blessing to have guidance. More men, more black men need this kind of guidance.
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“Brighter”
It's the light at the end of the tunnel, man. I think 'Brighter' is indicative of where I've been, where I am now and where I'm going. It shows people that even though you go through all these things, you can make it to the other side. There is always a chance if you have faith and hope. I was blessed to have a second chance. “Brighter” is probably one of the last records I wrote. I was in a much better place than when I wrote Ignorance. It will be a song I will perform all the time. I know.
I love that my music inspires me and I hope this song will do wonders for so many people who need to hear these lyrics. And it's an easy song. It's an easy song to remember. Once you hear those lyrics, it just sits in your soul. Sometimes, I sit back and I have to look at my songs and admire them because it's not just me, man. I am connected to God in a different way. And I'm blessed to be able to have the window open when I'm writing certain things. And I feel like God blessed me with 'Brighter'.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/sir-heavy-new-album-favorite-songs/
