I was made aware of Jae Stephens when a clip of her song, “WET,” came across my TikTok page. Immediately taken aback by the playful yet suggestive nature of her lyrics, I felt an instant connection to her pop music and had to check out the music video.
The music video is just as unserious as the lyrics are, as we see Jae Stephens at a car wash. However, her car is not the only thing that gets wet in the video: a dance break commences. My favorite little parts of the video are when Jae Stephens wears a shirts that feature her lyrics from the song: “Wet T-Shirt Contest Winner” and “Sip Sip Afficiando.”
“WET,” starts with the lyrics “Sick of my sadness/end of an era,” which resonated with me at the time as I was looking into filling my playlist with more Black women in pop. It also correlates with Jae Stephens’ departure from the moody R&B music of her previous EPs, f**k it i’ll do it myself (2019), and High My Name Is (2022) to her pop debut of SELLOUT (2024).
Before SELLOUT, Jae Stephens was an independent artist, but now she is signed to Raedio/Def Jam. Jae Stephens explained the concept for SELLOUT in an interview with YAMS Magazine, stating, “I wanted to play this part of this big pop star sellout, and I know the best way was to put on a face a little bit and get ahead of the jokes. It really helped me step into that light and build that world. What was acting a bit in the beginning has become really real to me, and I’m very comfortable, and I’m very proud of it now.”
When I first heard SELLOUT, my jaw dropped. I fell in love with Jae Stephens’ vocals and her playful songwriting. Jae Stephens makes music for the runway where you are the main character and all eyes are on you. Numerous affirmations within her music make it hard not to feel confident while listening to her songs. All of these tracks feel like they were made to be at a club where people get on the floor and dance their heart out. What I like about Jae Stephens is that she understands the importance of bridges in music, and she brings fans into the process of creating her songs on TikTok.
Jae Stephens started on Tumblr under the name “Beyoncebeytwice,” amassing a fanbase of over 200,000 followers. From there, she started in the music industry as a songwriter, writing songs for big names like Latto, Jennifer Lopez, UMI, Normani, and Sinéad Harnett. When it comes to Jae Stephens’ songwriting, it is often fun and playful and doesn’t come from an introspective experience. Two of her best songs from a lyrical perspective are “Afterbody” and “PDA.”
Jae Stephens explained on her TikTok that “Afterbody” is a play on the phrase “afterparty,” in which Jae Stephens’ love interest has been pursuing body after body, and her body is his favorite. Specifically the 2nd verse shows off Jae Stephens’ songwriting prowess: “Baddies everywhere, and my baby, he don’t care/He got tunnel vision on me, it’s like no one else is there/Room is at capacity, we runnin’ outta air/His hands are so attached to me, I know he wouldn’t dare/His attention never shared, run his fingers through my hair/If I’m water, he Sahara, I’m essential, nécessaire/We may not show up together, but we’re leavin’ as a pair/And it isn’t even fair, everyone in here.” Jae Stephens takes a popular phrase of “PDA” and makes her own definition: party, don’t test me, and taste, as she describes getting public with her displays of affection towards her lover. It’s a lyrical flex if I have ever seen one.
The follow-up, SELLOUT II includes tracks such as “SMH,” “Afterbody,” “Kiss It,” “That’s My Baby,” “Choosy,” and “10/10.” This EP is where Jae Stephens went full pop star. Jae Stephens studies pop stars of the past as she used a Britney sample for her song “Kiss It.” SELLOUT II shows Jae Stephens fully leaning into a confident pop persona, with “Choosy” showing that the singer holds her partner to high standards. “SMH” follows a similar theme with Jae in control of the men in her roster. “That’s my Baby” is the most lovey-dovey sounding song on the record, where Jae claims her lover publicly. Sonically, it differs from the rest of the tracks as it is slower and more sultry.
TOTAL SELLOUT adds four new songs to the SELLOUT collection: “Boyfriend Forever,” “Him&Him&Him,” “Precious,” and “Freakie.” These four tracks show Jae being intentional with her artistry. A lot of artists try to mimic 2000s pop, but Jae Stephens takes inspiration from the 2000s and makes it her own. Not only that, she is taking inspo from New Jack Swing in “Boyfriend Forever,” proving that she is a pop star who wants to be in conversation with pop icons from multiple decades, making her music more than a 2000s imitation. The production on these four tracks also feels very maximalistic in the best way possible.
Standout Tracks: “Afterbody,” “Kiss It,” “Boyfriend Forever,” & “Body Favors”
“Boyfriend Forever” was the first single released from TOTAL SELLOUT and was based on a real experience Jae Stephens revealed on her TikTok. The bridge of this song feels like it could be played in a movie where the girls are getting ready for a night out on the town. The other 3 tracks I can see being played at a club, as they feel like songs that make you feel like you are the main character.
Jae Stephens often talks on her TikTok about her experience of trying to be respected as a Black woman in pop. The internet has longed for a Black pop star, but Jae Stephens has been here all along. She is someone who is a self-proclaimed “Queen of bridges,” understands pop production, a talented lyricist, and has an infectious personality that audiences love. After opening for FLO on their North American leg of their Access All Areas Tour, Jae Stephens is the Black pop star people have been looking for.
