’s 2022 debut, , established her as a chameleon, adept at blending cushy R&B with her own futurist styles. While this approach placed the 25-year-old singer-songwriter among this generation’s innovators, her follow-up, , is a deliberate shift toward a more boundless exploration. For this album, Lenae and executive producer Dahi looked to create something new and formless, pivoting if the music ever felt, as he , “too R&B.
” While showcased the fluidity of R&B, is more varied: Lenae experiments like she’s an alchemist in an R&D lab, trialing new combinations of downtempo guitar, gentle reggae-pop, and even a stuttering, Brainfeeder-esque beat. On , Lenae isn’t abandoning R&B altogether but rather discovering and rediscovering pockets for her evolving emotions. The production spans greasy electro zaps, swirling pop, and taut rock, like on opener "Genius,” where her signature, sage-scented falsetto pierces through a strutting rhythm that’s like a distant cousin to “Billie Jean.
” Lenae sings as if she’s whispering from another lifetime with the gift of perspective, explaining, “Paradise takes a little patience/Give it time.” Her music is contemplative, and reflects the slow-going part of her self-discovery journey. She’s still deciphering anxieties around love, grief, and self-doubt, but feeling more unconfined than ever.
Realistically, growth happens in increments, with build-ups and setbacks. Along the way, Lenae challenges her partners and her loved .