Brooklyn-born R&B singer Saint Jhn was in an unusual position heading into the release of his third official project, While the World Was Burning. Earlier this summer, the EDM remix of his 2018 track, “Roses” by producer Imanbek went viral largely thanks to TikTok, putting him at the top of the charts. However, the artist was only known nationally for a sped-up remix that pitched his voice up to unnatural levels. In many ways, he was already a success yet still a complete newcomer. Enter the album, which requires him to play both rising artist and established star at times, which he manages to somehow pull off.
The appeal to While the World Was Burning is that Saint Jhn is able to tell his story, effectively introducing himself to the masses. Opening track “Sucks To Be You” plays like a letter to a jilted ex, but also cleverly talks about the artist’s origins in the projects of Brooklyn. That concept isn’t abandoned for the duration of the project, but merely plays as a background component to Saint Jhn’s blend of honest R&B crooning with trap music aesthetics. His successes are also highlighted, as he boasts that he “might buy six chains tonight, just to say I did it” on the club-ready “Gorgeous.” It’s not humble, but the braggadocious lines feel earned with the singer’s honesty in delivery.
The shortcomings of this album aren’t necessarily the fault of Saint Jhn, either. A clearly hasty, mediocre verse from Kanye West on “Pray 4 Me” drags the record off-kilter, yet is included for the sake of the star power that the collaboration holds. A more street-friendly version of “Roses” featuring Future is placed in the middle of the project, and the Imanbek remix is included at the end of the album, likely as a ploy to attract streaming service algorithms and drive up revenue numbers. When you put those elements on the backburner, though, you have a solid R&B record with an attractive ethos for any hip hop fan. The hybrid sound both welcomes and establishes Saint Jhn as a force to be reckoned with for the next few years to come.
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