DESTIN CONRAD is a boundary pusher. The singer-songwriter seems to be interested in tapping into whatever genre his talent leads him to explore. He first lured us in with his stellar debut on LOVE ON DIGITAL, which offered fans his take on modern R&B. His sophomore album wHIMSY then found him experimenting in the realm of alternative jazz. And for his next journey, he appears to be taking us to his mother’s birthplace of Jamaica and incorporating reggae and dancehall into his formula. He gives us a preview of his new direction with his latest single “NERVOUS.”
The sound of “NERVOUS” comes courtesy of producer Louie Lastic, who creates a riddim ready for the dancehall. Elastic bass, a bubbling, skittering drumbeat and a sample of a woman singing in what sounds like Chinese are featured. Yet, with all this going on, DESTIN is still able to infuse R&B into the mix with layered vocals and a few well-placed riffs.
The lyrics, meanwhile, give the singer a chance to boast, letting it be known that he has enough magnetic pull to make anyone around him a little nervous. But he willingly calls us in to revel in our own badness, singing on the bridge, “If you bad, wave your hand inna the air / If you look good, you know them affi stare / Know you see me standin’ over here / I make you nervous / If you get money and you tek care / Let me see you put your hand inna the air / Ah suh di ting set, yeah / I make them nervous.”
The song’s visual goes heavy on the dancehall vibes. The clip is filled with a bevy of women, including singer Tanerélle, dressed and ready to wine with the best of them. DESTIN stands in the midst of the ladies dressed in fits fresher than the day he was born. But it isn’t just about the looks, ladies or moves (of which there are plenty). The openly queer singer also defiantly stands against some of the prejudices existing in Jamaican culture, at one point rocking a t-shirt that reads “Kill Homophobia.”
With all this boldness, we can understand why folks would be nervous around the singer. But “NERVOUS” is just the beginning, as DESTIN CONRAD will be dropping his as-yet-untitled third album on Friday, August 7th.
