Charismatic Bay Area recording artist Jonah Melvon's new sound is magnetic, deeply-rooted and insatiable. His jazzy 2018 record, "Thinking of You," earned the rising star a regular residency in several clubs throughout Oakland. “You can make a living playing seven nights a week in the Bay,” says Jonah but eventually he decided to move on from covering other people's music and get into the studio to chart a new course in his career.
At the start of 2019, Melvon built up an expectation for his second effort with two new singles, "1099" and "What's Good for You" — which set the tone for his new project RainWater Project. The album is an 11-track formal introduction to the world. A personal project, Melvon says it embodies the purest essence of his city's musical spirit.
Purely inspired by the Bay, the project infuses R&B, futuristic funk, some hip-hop flavor, and signature Bay Area lingo. Tracks like "1099" share his humble beginnings while "hold me down" has that classic r&b energy with its lush keys and head-nodding groove. Melvon keeps it genuine from the jump as he blends lyrical and socially conscious elements adding the much-needed depth across the board. On other tracks like "The Night is Yours," "Play Pretend," and "True," Melvon is seductive, confident, and full of undeniable charisma.
“I knew I had to do my own music when so many people kept coming up to me and asking if I had any of my own original work,” Jonah explains. “This is what the people have asked for, which makes this process even more special.”
RainWater Project is available now on Left University.