By Sun Singleton

You might not yet know him by name, but you’ve probably danced a mean two-step to K’Jon’s languid late-summer smash, “On the Ocean.” The handsome singer from Detroit’s East side has emerged of late as a promising new talent, making “grown-n-sexy” soul music in the vein of Anthony Hamilton and fellow Detroiter Dwele, and winning over fans across generations with lyrically earnest, danceable R&B. “On The Ocean” sailed like a tall ship straight to the top spot on Billboard’s “Hot R&B/Hip Hop” chart back in August, and dropped anchor there for over a month.

The national success of the song was particularly bittersweet for K’Jon, who wrote “On The Ocean” about his years spent toiling as an independent artist in Detroit’s competitive underground music scene, releasing album after album on his own, all while working a 9-to-5 day job to support a new family and his musical ambitions. The song’s lyrics speak to the universal axiom about keeping the faith in the darkness of self-doubt – “And my soul is overflowing with anxieties and expectations/ I’m full of desires/ Out there on the ocean/ I know my ship is coming in.”

“I knew I could sell that song to an established artist,” remembers K’Jon. “But a friend told me that if I sold that song—I’d regret it for the rest of my career.”

K’Jon originally released “On The Ocean” on his 2007 independent disc The Ballroom Xplosion, and the smooth tune eventually caught fire with ballroom steppers from Chicago to Detroit, garnering K’Jon the exposure that eventually lead to a deal with Universal Republic and the release of his major-label debut, I Get Around. (He’s also scheduled to open for soul legend Charlie Wilson this Saturday, Oct 24th at Paradise Theater in the Bronx.) On his MySpace page, K’Jon reflects upon his hard-earned success: “I’m humbled by the support I’ve received. I’m honored to be able to do what I love. And I’m grateful for all the blessings I’ve received thus far,” says K’Jon. “I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

Anthony Hamilton . Ballroom Xplosion . Chicago . Detroit . Dwele . K'Jon . R&B . Soul Artists . Featured . New Music Spotlight