Interview: J. Holiday On His New Album, The Worst Zodiac Sign He's Dated, The Meaning Behind 'Fourteen Forty,’ & More
J. Holiday’s first album in eight years has arrived.
To celebrate the release of ‘Time,’ we caught up with J and spoke to him about zodiac signs, r&b in 2022, the meaning behind ‘Fourteen Forty,’ which song from the album someone with weak game should play, and more.
Ange: Jay,. congrats on time I was listening to the event yesterday. The project, you know, I really enjoyed it. It's good to have you back.
J: Appreciate it. Appreciate it.
Ange: How's life in Atlanta?
J: It's cool. You know, I think Atlanta probably was one of the places during this pandemic that didn't really close down. You know, we've been pretty open all the time.
Ange: You guys are lucky over here. I mean, we pretty much have been locked down the whole time. So Gemini, why did you write a song called Gemini and then place it as the number one track? You're Sagittarius, right?
J: Sure
Ange: And you and Gemini have a high compatibility. So is that could that be a reason why?
J: Well, I mean, it all plays out. I think zodiac signs, for one, are a big thing. You know, I'm saying some people follow it, some people don't. But, you know, with that being on that is something that I am knowledgeable about, about the compatibility right now and that, but you know, like all zodiacs are under a moon. We're rotating around the sun. And it's all-time-based. You understand what I'm saying?
Ange: Exactly.
J: And I just feel like Geminis get a hard rap. You know? They get it; they get a pretty bad rap. So, um, it's just kind of like, just bringing light to the situation. It's just like, I'm not going to judge you off for your sign. You know, it's, you get that bad rap or you know, whatever the case may be some neither side you know,
Ange: Okay, so what's worse zodiac sign you’re dated then?
J: Oh, man, I can name a list but I will probably say Virgo.
Ange: Okay, I thought you were gonna say Scorpio and I would have had a little bit of beef with you right there.
J: No, you know what Scorpio we have like this. This firework relationship whether it's friendship or whether it's intimate or whatever, but then we're both signs are kind of like, but on my own time, so it never really gets there. No I love Scorpios,
Ange: Yeah, we'll keep it that way. So did you feel it was important to have a track like ‘Ride’ where you talk about pleasing females and then you go into ‘Drip’ where you're not exactly talking about clothes?
J: Exactly, for sure. You know, like ‘Ride’, it's just like, what's the craziest thing you could say on the track and get away with? I think that's the most straightforward that you need to be within that song, you know, as far as lyrics and stuff, and then make it classy, make it clever, you know, and ‘Drip’ as well, like, ‘Drip’ is like, I'm traveling around, you know, I might have gone to this city. And I went to the strip club, and I just fell in love with this. This stripper, you know what I mean?
Ange: Yeah.
J: And I'm like; I don't want to take you from your man. But, you know,
Ange: You gotta do what you gotta do.
J: Yeah, if it was up to me, you wouldn't be there anyway. I'm basically saying, like, I'm my own drip, you know what I mean?
Ange: Yeah, yeah. So ‘Fourteen Forty’ gives off that ballad vibe. And you're not really hearing that at the moment. The fact that you're pouring out your love and saying, you would give last day to that person should make you feel some type of way. Why called track ‘Fourteen Forty’?
J: Oh, well, there's 1440 minutes in a day. So, you know, is a little bit of math in there. And it was just a clever way to, says 24 hours, 24 hours of my last day, and you’re supposed to learn something every day. So I hope when people hear ‘Fourteen Forty ‘ they take away like, Oh, I didn't know there was 1400 minutes in a day.
Ange: Yeah, I'm pretty sure like, a lot of other people wouldn't know that either.
J: You know, so that's why it's ‘Fourteen Forty’.
Ange: So if someone had weak game, which song from your album would you recommend they play if they had this special person over and they wanted to set the mood?
J: I mean, ‘Fourteen Forty‘ is a great record. You know, I mean, what woman doesn't want to hear that, you know.
Ange: How about if they were emotionally detached?
J: Right and then ‘Hourglass’ would be there. Or, ‘Elevator’ for sure. You know, I think it's a clever way of saying the attraction is there. Yeah, I would definitely pick those records for anyone who had weak game.
Ange: I know. We're talking about time, but I want to take it back with this question. I was bit late to the party. Last year, I finally discovered ‘Forever Ain’t Enough’. Real talk, it was the third most played track for me last year on Spotify. It's the vulnerability in the lyrics with the piano and the strings and then you have the beat drop. It's something else. Do you think people are missing that sort of r&b in 2022 and would rather keep it toxic?
J: It’s funny how the balance is always there. I think you know, we're in this society where you don't want to play it in public and feel corny. But they can go home and listen to it.
Ange: Last question. Friday has been the traditional release day for music. Is there a reason why you decided on releasing it on a Monday instead?
J: Seven is my favorite number. So we did February 7, and then it was kind of like, well, you don't want to drop the album three days before Valentine's Day. You know, so we decided to put it out on the seventh. And then, of course, it’s like, you know, New Music Monday. But um, you know, it was the seven for me. You have seven days to get familiar with the song and you know, trying to give like fellas the cheat sheet you know,
Ange: Exactly.
J: You know you could come up with something that would be like a catchy song I want to play for you. Yeah, play it on Valentine's Day
Ange: They don’t really need to put in the work.
J: Right, they don't really have to do anything but just you know, maybe come up with a couple of dance moves for the bedroom and yeah, let the rest of the mind go.
Ange: Right. So once things open up again we really need to get you back to New Zealand. I think it's been four years since you've been here. Hopefully we can get you back sometime soon.
J: Man I'm hoping because I've been to Australia multiple times, but I've only been to New Zealand once and so I'm looking forward to that.