Amir Obe

Detroit-bred multihyphenate Amir Obè’s music captures a strange duality. His lush  take on R&B—a genre that can all too easily slide into dead-eyed nihilism—is full of  honest mood swings and stories about modern romance. It’s music that feels  vibrant and real, characteristics he’s held onto since first rising to fame in the late  2010s. Back then, his serpentine flows, emotive vocals, and authentic songwriting  caught the attention of superstars Drake (Obè co-produced “Star67” on Drake’s  2015 mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late) and PartyNextDoor (“I’m  Good”), firmly putting Obè in the conversation of rap and R&B’s great emoters.   Since then, singles like “Cigarettes,” “Naturally,” and “Wish You Well” have earned  him more than 100 million streams on Spotify, showcasing an ability to connect  with listeners through earnest songwriting without losing his mystique. Obè’s  long-hyped debut album for Def Jam, after, sees him undergoing a sonic  renaissance of more insular, reverb-filled pop with layered sticky hooks to match,  drawing inspiration from his time stuck at home during the pandemic. 

With after, a matured Amir Obè reintroduces himself to the current musical  landscape by blending Auto-Tuned theatrics with wistful reflection about the past  few years, yet still showing an ability to craft catchy, progressive R&B hooks and  emulate the peak dance-pop acts of the late ’80s. It’s proof he was needed back  in the fold. Working with the likes of songwriter and Max Martin protégé Elof Loelv,  Brooklyn producer Dot Da Genius, and his day-one collaborator NYLZ, Obè offers  a mix of familiarity and growth on after. Obè says the tracks are inspired by the  reverb-heavy pop anthems of Phil Collins, the progressive soul of Peter Gabriel,  and the bravado of 50 Cent and Eminem. His unique combination of multilayered  hooks, spacey cavernous ambiance, eclectic instrumentation, and honest lyrics  makes his music open-hearted, yet enigmatic. 

“I wanted to make songwriting a priority on this project and step outside my  comfort zone,” he says. “I approached it with some pop ideas and more  progressive rock ideas. But when I experiment, I try to add in some familiar  sounds. Everything needs to be balanced.” 

After five years away, other than some loosies and snippets he sent out to sate his  rabid fanbase, Obè has returned with a clear head and direction, deciding to dial  back the conceptual and vulnerable aspects of his work. On after, he focuses on  getting into a groove, with well-written, diverse sonic experiences designed to feel  timeless. “VIP II,” the perfect soundtrack for a stoned 10 p.m. cruise around the  city, flaunts Obè’s ability to craft catchy hooks and memorable one-liners (“What  the fuck am I gonna do with seven bedrooms?”), while xylophones cascade over  his solemn and multilayered harmonies on “Somebody Else.” 

Obè sees after as a new chapter. “It’s more of a reintroduction to my artistry and an introspective project, but it’s me evolving to the sound of now,” he says. “It’s  very moody, but I think it’s presented in a way that’s not dour and more flattering,  with short storytelling elements.” 

As he works on setting up tour dates, recording more music, and putting himself  back on people’s radar, Obè hopes that no matter what listeners think of after,  they recognize it’s one of one. “My album is bold, and stands independent from  what’s popular right now,” he says. “I don’t know exactly how everybody’s gonna  take it, but I’m confident that it sounds refreshing.”