This month, SoundCloud is launching a new initiative called Unsung Heroes to champion the songwriters working behind the scenes to craft the music we love. Kicking off the new series is Jozzy, a rapper/singer-songwriter who has penned tracks for SZA, Beyoncé and more.
Now, as Jozzy steps into the spotlight with her solo EP, we take a closer look at her music and learn how our AI tagging tech hears her music.
Background and philosophy
The daughter of a Stax Records singer, Jozzy grew up surrounded by music. “It’s in my bloodline,” she effused in a 2014 interview. And her musical taste has been heavily informed by the R&B sound of the 90s and 2000s.
Jozzy’s career breakthrough occurred when she met super-producer Timbaland. What was initially planned as a one-week session turned into a five-year collaboration with the four-time Grammy winner. Under Timbaland’s mentorship and as part of his team, Jozzy contributed significantly to tracks by Missy Elliott and other huge names in music.
Today, Jozzy’s resume includes Madonna, Usher, 21 Savage. She even wrote Billy Ray Cyrus’ verse on ‘Old Town Road’, cementing her as a force to be reckoned with in the studio. With so many talented artists turning to Jozzy for that secret seductive sauce, it was perhaps only a matter of time before she got signed as an artist in her own right.
Joining Diddy’s label LOVE Records as its first signee, Jozzy has been dubbed the “RnB Biggie Smalls” by the rapper and label boss, further emphasizing her potential impact on the industry.
Jozzy vs SexyBack
Jozzy mentions in her introduction on the Unsung Heroes playlist, there aren’t many sexy, seductive songs in the world right now. Owing to her love of R&B, she’s looking to put that right that with tracks such as ‘Nasty’ off her EP. However, a listen to her catalogue – both for her solo work and songs written for others – demonstrates it’s a lyrical theme through her work.
But does her music manage to be as sexy as the lyrical content? The data from Musiio tagging AI suggests a strong “yes”.
Jozzy’s music is overwhelmingly tagged as “Seductive” – our boardroom-friendly synonym for “sexy” – proving that she’s hitting her target with both lyrical precision and musical accuracy.
But what does that mean in the wider context of sultry, seductive music? To find out, we also analysed a track produced by her musical mentor, Timbaland: ‘SexyBack’ by Justin Timberlake.
The Musiio tagging AI reveals that “SexyBack” primarily conveys moods of Confidence and Boldness, with Seductive only receiving an 18% confidence score. This shows that, in raw numbers, Jozzy’s music is indeed sexier than “SexyBack.”
Jozzy’s ability to create seductive music goes beyond just the lyrics; she delivers sensuality through the audio as well. This is evident in her solo material, which scores even higher on the Seductive mood tag than her songwriting for other stars, if you can believe it. Essentially, each of her tracks is a masterclass in bringing sexy back.
Future Nostalgia
Jozzy’s writing style has a unique combination of nostalgia and excitement. Just check out the virtuosic talkbox ad libs in songs like ‘She Asked Me’, which call to mind iconic R&B acts like Roger Troutman and Blackstreet. With her masterful blend of R&B and hip-hop tailored for women in 2023, it’s clear that Jozzy is cornering the market in seductive music, and shaping the future of R&B music, one sultry track at a time.
To learn more about automated music tagging, and how descriptive AI can help your music business, drop a message to sales@musiio.com, or use the contact form.