Toronto artist Joël made some waves in the scene last year thanks to a solid streak of smooth R&B cuts. Armed with honest, introspective lyrics and a penchant for heartbreaking melodies, the songwriter looked poised for big things. Much to the dismay of his newfound fan base, however, Joël stopped dropping new cuts and basically disappeared from the public spotlight. It was an unfortunate development, especially given the promise that the young singer showed so early on in his career.
Well, after a brief hiatus Joël is back with a new track... and thankfully, it's a banger. Entitled "Vent", the fresh offering gives us an intimate look into the artist's state of mind these past few months while also exploring a relationship turned sour. Speaking with Complex CA, Joël reveals that penning "Vent" became a real cathartic experience.
"I really just wanted to get shit off my chest," he begins. "At the time, I was living with shortie post breakup, toxic… but I still had love for her. So many emotions that were undigested, I kinda just wanted to clear the bitterness out of the air."
When it came time to record the song, Joël says he did so right beside the track's inspiration. "[I] literally cut vocals while her and her home girl were out in the living room. It was kinda like therapy in a way. I really didn’t care if she heard it or not, although when that chorus hit I’m sure she did."
"It’s never cool closing a book you’ve spent time reading, especially if you got to know the characters really well. We were coolin' for a minute, got crazy, then shit hit the fan. Poured gas on it too, I’d be chopped if i didn’t write a song called 'Vent'.”
You can listen to "Vent" below via SoundCloud.
