The newest single from Ian Isiah takes a lyric from his breakout track “N.U.T.S”, stretches it out, modulates it and turns it into a transcendent incantation. It’s an invitation as well — to make room in your life for the people that love you — repeated over as Ian’s band adds layers of crescendos, chops and flourishes. But to truly feel the power of “MSR”, you have to watch the video. Conceptualized by Ian and directed by Nick Harwood, it’s shot on a historic plantation in Colonial Williamsburg, VA. Here, Ian makes room to connect with ancestors, to pay tribute to ancestors. A cinematic declaration, fittingly released at the heart of Black History Month.

The voice. Following his critically lauded AUNTIE gospel-funk opus (and its dancefloor-ready remixes), Ian Isiah returns with his most naked, open and vulnerable work yet. “SEE YOU” sees him flowing over nothing but an acoustic guitar: a minimalistic backdrop that allows his vocals to soar. Last week’s performance of the song on COLORS was nothing short of triumphant. It’s a bit of a stylistic turn for us here at Juliet (and yes the track is still produced by Chromeo), but what else do you expect from Ian? Witness Brooklyn’s pan-gender angel take flight.

In the first single of our remixes program, Ian Isiah’s funk slapper gets a massive disco-house rework from the legend Roger Sanchez, complete with piano stabs and lush string arrangements. DJ Haram flips the track into Terius Nash-style R&B with Middle Eastern percussions on top. DJ Leonce takes it back to the ballroom with some uptempo bounce.

1 Princess Pouty (Roger Sanchez Remix)
2 Princess Pouty (Roger Sanchez Remix) (Radio Edit)
3 Princess Pouty (DJ Haram Remix)
4 Princess Pouty (Leonce Remix)

Here it is in full, our marquee release for 2020. An ode to the auntie’s cultural significance: nurturing figure, moral arbiter, no-nonsense extravagant, a pillar in the Black community. All these personae are incarnated by Ian on this 7 song funk and R&B transmission where drum machines seamlessly mingle with live instrumentation. Meanwhile, his vocals soar: extra sweet, extra hood, just extra. A rhapsodist of the sacred and profane, aiming for pop superstardom. Listed by the New York Times as of of the best albums of 2020.

1 N.U.T.S (N*GG* U THE SH*T)
2 Princess Pouty
3 Can’t Call It
4 Bougie Heart (feat. Onyx Collective)
5 First Love
6 Lady Bug
7 Loose Truth

Ian returns with a dancefloor-ready, feisty funk manifesto, full of sass and pomp. Over a fuzzy bass, synth stabs and Chromeo’s signature talkbox, he eulogizes the bratty attitude of “momma’s baby, daddy’s maybe.” This time, the video finds him in head-to-toe clown attire, roaming around a deserted Coney Island: a Commedia dell’ Arte reimagined, Brooklyn style.

Recorded and filmed at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, this is Ian’s modern day gospel statement. Says Pitchfork: “‘This is my truth,’ he repeats, elevating the lyric to a mantra, his voice taking on a different flavor at every turn: soul, gospel, funk, R&B. The harmonies are impeccable, like a choir beamed directly into your skull.” The video features essential workers, activists, artists and family members from Ian’s community. In a moving finale, they share their truth directly to the camera.

The debut single by Ian Isiah: the church-trained, pan-gender sex idol from Brooklyn. He’s been at the forefront of New York’s fashion scene for years and has lent his vocal talents to Blood Orange, both on tour and on record. “N.U.T.S (N*GG* U THE SH*T)” is a Chromeo-produced soul-funk number about self-acceptance, with an accompanying visual showcasing Ian in all his grandeur, meandering New York City’s empty streets.