Jhyve is the latest in a long list of rising artists coming out of Toronto looking to follow in the footsteps of hometown superstars Drake and The Weeknd. Though The Six is home, his family's roots are in St. Kitts and like many West Indians, he wears many professional hats. The singer/songwriter/producer broke out in 2015 with "Ruby" and has been steady on his grind since then. He has seen the fruits of his labor with a nomination for a 2018 JUNO Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. Nominated for his song "Human," Jhyve is on to the next with a music video for his latest single "Keep Doing You" that SoulBounce is bringing to you with an exclusive world premiere.
"Keep Doing You" is a cathartic song about getting closure at the end of a relationship. "I guess we needed the space / Some things just can't be explained," he sings on the opening verse of the Restless Modern-produced track. Jhyve harbors no hard feelings nor animosity toward his ex. Although things didn't work out, he legit wishes her well when he sincerely sings, "I hope your dreams come true," on the chorus. Inspired by a real-life breakup, Jhyve needed time and space to get to this point of introspection. "I remembered being so angry and sad at the time," he shared with us about his initial feelings. "But after all the emotions are gone, how do you really feel? That’s what that song was about — acceptance."
The "Keep Doing You" visual treatment loosely focuses on the concept of following one's dreams. We watch as a dancer steps onto a stark white soundstage. She presses play on a portable boombox, and Jhyve's song starts playing. She practices her moves, and though we see her falter, she gets back up again, eventually perfecting her routine. Jhyve, meanwhile, is seen in separate scenes singing the emotional ballad into a microphone surrounded by rose petals at his feet. We see the dancer sewing her costume together, looking a little blue, but her frown gets turned upside down when rose petals start falling down around her. This gives her the hope she needs to carry on, and in the next scene, she's standing tall and proud as a ballerina. She hits all of her moves with precision and nails her routine. She's truly happy with her performance, wearing a wide smile and holding a rose. The video ends with the camera locking in on Jhyve who looks neither happy nor sad but at peace.
Canada's 2018 JUNO Awards will happen on Sunday, March 25th, and we'll see how Jhyve fares up against Daniel Caesar, Jahkoy, Jessie Reyez and Keshia Chanté. With a solid catalog of music so far and a bright future ahead, Jhyve is already a winner. Keep your eye on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SoundCloud for more from this talented young man.
