Johan Lenox Releases His Grandly Orchestrated Pop Epic WDYWTBWYGU
Features KayCyy, 070 Shake, Lancey Foux, Thouxanbanfauni, Ant Clemons, RMR, Mr. Hudson, Cousin Stizz + The Brooklyn Youth Chorus
Listen To The Debut Album From Hip Hop’s In-Demand Producer and Composer (Kanye, Travis Scott, Lil Nas X, Brockhampton) HERE
“A down-tempo pop opus, one that exposes the dark shadows behind the American Dream.” — Boston Globe
“A classic coming-of-age tale enlivened by elegant instrumentation and moody vocal harmonies…remarkable sonic and thematic cohesion.” — i-D
Today, Johan Lenox — a rising artist and in-demand collaborator for stars like Kanye, Travis Scott, Lil Nas X, Brockhampton and so many more — releases What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up (stylized as WDYWTBWYGU), his debut album. The project ambitiously fuses Johan’s compositional acumen with the earmarks of chart-topping pop as Johan’s signature combination of booming 808s, opulent orchestral arrangements, and his melancholic croon tell tales of hedonistic escapism and growing up in defiance of deadend suburbia.
Animated by a withering nostalgia and the narrowing horizons of the American dream, Johan Lenox’s pop debut WDYWTBWYGU mixes moments of wry levity with candid reflections on a generation on the precipice of adulthood. Together with collaborators such as KayCyy, Ant Clemons, 070 Shake, RMR, and more, Johan unveils an un-idyllic, honest portrayal of fears and failures, emboldened by grand orchestration, grandiose song structures, and enveloping soundworlds. Listen to the full album here: https://onerpm.link/wdywtbwygu
Earlier this week, Johan shared the album opener "What Happening" featuring KayCyy and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Listen as stacked vocal harmonies give way to KayCyy's inimitable flow and an ever-blooming choral composition here: https://youtu.be/JjFJjK2wEsE
Lyrical Lemonade has deemed WDYWTBWYGU “a testament to Lenox’s innate talent and ability to turn concepts into masterpieces,” while i-D named it one of the best of the year so far: “[WDYWTBWYGU is] a classic coming-of-age tale enlivened by elegant instrumentation and moody vocal harmonies… with remarkable sonic and thematic cohesion.”
Johan Lenox is currently on a US tour opening for 070 Shake before headlining shows at NYC’s Mercury Lounge and LA’s Moroccan Lounge, see full dates below. During his dates supporting 070 Shake, Johan will not only be performing music from WDYWTBWYGU but conducting an original chamber piece with a violin duo.
Watch him perform “No One Gets Me” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to get a taste of what’s in store — amid dramatic lighting and a string quartet, Johan’s heartbroken ballad shines: https://youtu.be/Vj19h8SWuKs
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