MAJID JORDAN’s performance reminds us of boy bands in the ‘90s. There’s no synchronized choreography, or cheesy harmonizing, but there are hordes of screaming, wanton women in the audience, and the duo seemingly can’t get enough. The duo feed off of the feminine energy, and Majid especially so, as he gyrated on stage with longing looks, that every audience member thought was to them. The entire OVO brand seems to be based off of catering to a female audience, and it keeps the fans coming back in droves, every time they’re in town to perform
Majid Al Maskati is a Bahrain born and raised singer/songwriter who moved to Toronto to pursue a business degree. A chance meeting with Jordan Ullman at a bar during Majid’s 21st birthday party, led to them working on music, as a duo under the name Good People. After renaming their act Majid Jordan, they began releasing their synth heavy, downtempo R&B, which caught the ears of producer Noah Shebib. Majid’s vocals sounded ethereal on Drake’s Hold On We’re Going Home off of his Nothing Was The Same EP. It was a breakout track for both Majid and Jordan and fast tracked them to releasing their own music under Drake’s OVO label.
Jordan Ullman is a Toronto born and bred producer extraordinaire, and one half of Majid Jordan. He’s responsible for the moody sound that has become a signature for the duo, and he was creating for Drake since he was a teenager. Jordan is a classically trained pianist and as he stood up on this futuristic, star-trek looking platform that housed his keyboard, he stood with all the confidence of a maestro.
With the release of their self- titled debut album this year, Jordan and Majid are stepping out from the OVO shadow, and crafting their own vibes.
Tune in to Episode 38 of TSG:OA for a recap of Majid Jordan’s show at the Commodore Ballroom.
Oshawa born, Toronto based artist DANIEL CAESAR was on our radar after he released Praise Break in 2014. We were instantly hooked, by his lulling falsetto and his range, as much gospel and soul as contemporary R&B. We saw him perform live in Vancouver, and the album came alive under the bright lights of the Biltmore Cabaret as he began to sing Violet, backed by a live band.
Last year, DANIEL CAESAR followed up Praise break by releasing Pilgrim’s paradise, in which the cover art depicts him free falling into nothingness. The existential tone of the cover carries over into the material, as Danny explores coming of age and questions the religious overtones of his upbringing.
Daniel Caesar performs with the animated prescience of an artist who’s already released two platinum albums, won a Grammy, married an actress and divorced her in a very public way. Perhaps his confidence stems from his realization of his gift and the emotions that his powerful voice can elicit. Whatever it is, it was palpable in the room, as we watched him command a packed room, in his his olive green jumpsuit.
Catch a review of his performance on Episode 36 of TSG:OA
