Calvin Richardson is a 48-year-old R&B singer and songwriter from Monroe, North Carolina. The 3 time Grammy nominated artist is currently signed to his own record label CRE/BMG. During his upbringing he always found himself around music with his mother being the lead singer of a Gospel group named The Willing Wonders. On September 20, 2024, Richardson released his new album ‘Five Years Later’ which is a 39-minute listen comprised of 11 songs. Of the 11 songs, the four which caught my attention the most were “Cause I Love”, “Ready For The Weekend”, “Me And You (featuring Jahsoul)”, and “Can’t Let Go 2.0”.
“Cause I Love” is a 3 minute and 43 second masterpiece about how Richardson would love to be the best possible man for his lover and how he understands that the hard times come with being in love and he is willing to fight through the rough times because of the love and fondness he has for his partner. His smooth Soulful voice delivers the song only the way that he can by giving the listener its true meaning.
“Ready For The Weekend” is one of the more joyful songs on the album which provides the listener with a more up-tempo sound that is complimented by Richardson’s laid-back vocals which gives anyone listening a perfect song to play for the weekend. The lyrics capture the feeling a person gets after they get home from work on a Friday from and long week and how excited they are to start the weekend.
“Me And You” is the only song on the album to have a feature which is done with an up-and-coming artist named Jahsoul. The song shows how both artists added their own elements of artistry by displaying how they could switch between both Rap and Soul music which gives the track the perfect balance between both musical genres.
“Can’t Let Go 2.0” is the updated version of the song’s predecessor “Can’t Let Go”. With this take, Richardson keeps the same hook as he had in the first release but with new lyrics and a more refreshing sound. His voice illuminates the meaning of the song with each word as he tip toes through the hearts of the listener.
‘Five Years Later’ is definitely worth a listen due to its high-quality production and writing.
