Meet 19-year-old musician Jelani Aryeh
Jelani Aryeh via genius.com
At just 19 years of age, Alternative R&B artist Jehlani Aryeh’s music contains a level of self-awareness, depth, and emotional maturity that is wise beyond his years.
Aryeh started like many aspiring musicians do: releasing raps over pre-made beats on SoundCloud. Now, he is following in the footsteps of Frank Ocean, Steve Lacy, or Kevin Abstract, with stunning production that centers the voice, but provides the music with the same range and depth as the subject matters he writes about. His latest release, a 9 track EP titled
Helvetica, explores themes of suffering, vulnerability, and the constant strive for peace. The 8th track on the record, Patagonia, exemplifies this sunning range: the song opens with a light synth melody, the beat comes in and out through the song. His voice shifts from soft and melodic, to speaking, to rap, and does all of this in a way that is fluid and easy. This song demonstrates his ability to explore all ranges of his musical and emotional capabilities.
In an interview with DJBOOTH, Aryeh states that his EP is about a journey of introspection and the search for peace. HE says that the things that bring his peace are “meditation, going inside the self, the going outside and doing the things I love to do… traveling, meeting people and experiencing new people brings me peace. Seeing free-spirited people and people who are themselves brings me peace and is inspiring.” This commitment to introspection is evident in his writing and gives Helvetica a sense of honesty and level-headedness, making his music alluring beyond just its unique sound.
Listen to Helvetica on Spotify and Apple Music and Aryeh’s last single, Stella Brown, on Spotify and Apple Music.