Jay-Way - Island Forgotten (Album)
Dutch-Ghanaian alternative hip-hop melodic pop powerhouse Jay-Way releases his debut LP, Island Forgotten. The 18-track album arrives after super producer Timbaland praised Jay-Way after hearing snippets of it on TikTok Live earlier this week. Island Forgotten is Jay-Way’s first full-length release through IVAV, a Curb | Word Entertainment division. Jay-Way will perform two live shows in Amsterdam to support the new album. Tickets are on sale now HERE.
“With this title, I want to paint the picture of living on your own island,” explains Jay-Way. Living on an island has several meanings to me. On your island, you’ve isolated yourself from your surroundings. It can make you feel more confident. Embracing your uniqueness. Not moving on anybody’s tempo but your own.”
Earlier this week, Grammy Award-winning producer Timbaland recognised Jay-Way’s sonics and poignant melodies after hearing snippets of Island Forgotten on TikTok Live.“You got a vibe. I want to hear more of your stuff,” he said. Complex NL posted a clip of Jay-Way's interaction with the music luminary HERE. The album has magnetizing, self-reflective anthems that will give you the feels. The depths of Jay-Way’s introspection are manifest in each song. The new release includes the official music video for “Show Is Over” to reinforce Jay-Way’s ambition to stake his claim as a need-to-know international artist in 2024.
Island Forgotten crystallizes Jay-Way’s cosmic aesthetic. His reflective sensibility is relatable as he pours his heart on distinctive soundscapes with notes of hip-hop, pop-punk, house, and afro beats. His lyrics explore self-discovery, love, compassion, acceptance, and, most importantly, vulnerability. Synthesizers, 808 drum loops, and electric guitar riffs all evoke the neon nostalgia of the 1980s on "Shawty Goodnight" with genre-defying bops like “No, I’m Not Ok,” "Only One I Think About," and "Running Out of Love," exemplifying his boundless ethos.
Since gaining national acclaim for the viral collaborative single "Summertime" with rap icon Snoop Dogg and labelmate Steven Malcolm, Jay-Way continues to manifest his wildest dreams. He spent time touring through Europe supporting RINI’s sold-out “Past The Naked Eye Tour,” earned a Berlin Music Award nomination, and performed his first arena show in front of 15,000 people at EO Youth Day.
His album celebrates these milestones and follows his 5-track EP Only One I Think About, which assembled tracks like “Highs & Lows” into one playlist. Island Forgotten is a far cry from his award-nominated debut release, Jaynalysis, but expands on the spirit of this breakout EP, No, I'm Not Ok, to create an all-inclusive music experience intersecting genres enhanced by Jay-Way’s faith in his power as a voice for the next generation.