I've been listening to Jordan Knight as a solo singer since he released Give It To You over a decade ago. I loved that song and the carnival-inspired music video. The album was also pretty good, since it was produced by Janet Jackson's frequent collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, as well as a then-unknown Robin Thicke. I had always wondered why Jordan didn't really take off as a solo artist (like Justin Timberlake), but on the other hand I was happy he kept getting a check like when her reunited with his NKOTB compadres (which he will do again this summer alongside the Backstreet Boys for a joint tour).
Let's Go Higher was written by onetime Gaga collaboratr Colby O' Donis, who wrote it for Knight and felt it was the perfect track to re-launch his solo career.
"I had a track and I really liked this track. I needed a writer to see if they could put some good idea over it," Knight said of another song he had been working on. "I was always talking about Colby O'Donis. He's got a great vibe," he recalled, adding that O'Donis had something else in mind for the pop star. "He sent [it] and it was produced by him in his studio, so the production wasn't exactly where I wanted it. But I could recognize the song as being a really good song with a great hook and great message," he said. Knight first hooked up with the songwriter a year ago before reworking the track with Marcus Siskind.
"I've been kind of working on a solo record for a year and a half and it just didn't feel like it was all put together," Knight explained. "It all fell together now at a great time." Knight is soaking up the fun, pop vibe that has taken over mainstream radio and will certainly find its way onto his next album. "Higher" is the lead single off Knight's May solo album release, Unfinished, which drops the same month that New Kids on the Block is set to hit the road with the Backstreet Boys on their highly anticipated joint venture.
So expect Jordan, as well as Nick Carter to perform a few of their solo songs on the tour. Just don't expect a ballad-heavy album.
"There's a few ballads. It's not ballad heavy. It does represent well the tone of the album," he said. "The tone is definitely upbeat. I think a lot of people thought that I would do mid-tempos — Jordan's the crooner romantic guy — but it's not really that kind of music. I honestly prefer upbeat music. I prefer doing upbeat music. With the New Kids, I loved the ballads. I was all about ballads. I'm not really into ballads anymore," he laughed.
Check out his new single Let's Go Higher below. Stellar track!
Also let's go back in time with Give It To You...
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