JoJo’s latest single ‘Man’ captures everything that’s made the singer-songwriter one of our most beloved in the pop and R&B music scene.

She is authentic, she is charming, she is brash; this is the same JoJo that won our hearts over fifteen years ago with her iconic self-titled debut album. But she hasn’t taken her foot off the gas since; she continues to explore distinct styles within the pop music category. ‘Man’ similarly touches upon the same romantic themes that Jojo has had massive success tackling in the past. 

What’s immediately significant about this particular tune is JoJo’s willingness to be bold and sassy about her desires. Fans might notice that she’s not afraid of a foul mouth, especially when it gets across her emotions in the most powerful, relatable way. The ambiguous enunciations, the devious grins, the sassy demands laid out in the most outward way — comparisons will be made to Ariana Grande, who’s really carved a singular style for many up-and-coming artists. But make no mistake: JoJo is not up and coming. The widespread popularity of JoJo’s early material, most notable ‘Get Out (Leave)’ and ‘Too Little Too Late’ makes the twenty-nine-year-old artist a complete goddess in the eyes of so many teenage girls globally. 

With the help of a breeze acoustic guitar riff that steadily unfolds in the background, JoJo conveys her wish of needing a ‘man’ who will love and want her with the same intensity and fervour as that of a fan. We know JoJo has some colossal vocal chops, but she keeps the composition fairly restrained for the most part. No need to belt out the high notes and the extended vocal riffs when you connect with your listeners through a simple, subtle and chill melody.

Her album Good To Know is set to release this year on May 1, after which she takes off on a tour set across the country. Last month, JoJo discussed mental health struggles, saying, “ mean, there were definitely nights that I stumbled out of clubs and that I blacked out and was just completely reckless, did not care… I need to be buzzed to feel OK." But she turned it all around, and now she graces us with her latest pop single. 

 Pop     R&B 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.