Features

VEDO Talks ‘7’ Album, Mood Swings Tour, Today’s R&B, Usher, Spirituality, Sex + More in New Cover Story

Published

1 year ago

November 1, 2023

Story by: Jada Langdon

An undeniable force in the R&B space, singer Vedo has stayed consistent with his craft. A skilled songwriter and vocalist, Vedo has cemented his artistry, working with artists such as Usher, Chris Brown, Tank, Ella Mai, and Ari Lennox. He is also well known for his double platinum single “You Got It,” which caught virality on TikTok in 2020. Vedo brings the audience soulful and sultry vocals as he paints vivid stories of life’s themes of love, heartbreak, passion, and sex. His fans appreciate his raw lyrics that illustrate the vulnerability R&B fans champion. He makes it clear that amid the discussions, R&B is well alive, and he is one of the artists paving the way.

“At first, nobody was talking about R&B, but now they are. We needed people to start talking about it again and start searching for it. Now that people have talked about it and started searching for it, that’s when you find you know the Vedo’s and the Eric Bellinger’s and the Tone Stith’s and these different dope R&B acts that’s been there,” Vedo expressed.

With his passion for cultivating the genre, he has released a complete project every year since 2019. This year alone, he unveiled two albums, Mood Swings and his most recent 7. The 15-track LP was released on October 6th. Notable producers & writers on this project include Cubeatz, Keyz, Verse Simmonds, and Camper, with a feature from singer Lecrae.

“7 represents completion. It represents those who seek to understand the deeper meaning of life. It’s a lucky number and represents many other things as well,” says the crooner.

Being his seventh studio album, he feels a sense of completeness through the journey of his artistry. Vedo still has yet to make plans to stop anytime soon. Amid releasing his projects, he is currently on the second leg of his 19-city sold-out “Mood Swings” tour, providing fans with the authentic R&B live show experience.

Through a long personal and artistic path, Vedo has retained his longevity through great music and intentional collaborations with his peers.

“It’s timing; you know everything is timing. We don’t rush any situations or any scenarios. I think when you’re getting in a studio or working with somebody, the energy has to be genuine. I don’t like to force anything, so if I feel like it’s not time yet, it’s just not time yet,” he shared.

Through his belief, he gained several opportunities, such as singing background for Usher during his viral “Tiny Desk” performance. The performance came as a surprise to Vedo and fellow singer Eric Bellinger, who joined Usher. The Tiny Desk concert created one of the most viral R&B moments. Vedo is considerably an “R&B G.O.A.T,” respected by his peers and those who have paved the way for artists like him. Receiving the acknowledgment for his consistency, he remains eager to continue his growth.

“We know that we are all G.O.A.Ts simply because of the passion and the will to never stop. That’s what drives you to G.O.A.T status. It’s not the accolades; that G.O.A.T status just comes with that hard work ethic; hard work beats Talent, you know. Being a student of the game makes you a goat, you know, even the greatest, you know, writers of our time and producers of our time still are learning from the new producers and new writers that are coming up,” he explained.

Speaking on the legacy he is crafting, Vedo wants people to recognize him for being authentic to himself, which is reflected in all parts of his artistry. “I think people should take from that is that he stood firm on whatever it is that he wanted to do, and didn’t let anybody’s opinions or anything change him,” said Vedo. From songwriting, singing, collaborating or performing, every decision is made through his divine intuition.