Russell!
Toronto artist blog.
Russell has been on my radar for the past two years and has produced some classics that I still listen to. Before deciding to cover his work, I wanted to ensure that he had a somewhat complete discography. It doesn't necessarily need to be massive, but I look for noticeable improvements and a real level of dedication, which Russell has shown wonderfully over the past few years. Prior to going by his current stage name, Russell went by Pryde. His discography goes back to 2015, but according to some sources, he's been releasing music since 2009. His career shows an amazing level of growth, and he has worked hard to get where he is now. His sound and aesthetic feel full and complete, with a unique mix of rock and R&B, featuring a lot of acoustic and electronic guitars that give it a rock feel while his vocals and beats are in the R&B lane. Russell's charisma and aesthetic work wonders with this blend, making it truly impressive. His discography begins with a single titled “Blueberry Faygo.” This is basically a recreated Lil Mosey track with Russell’s spin on it. It has his beautiful vocals and a lot of different flow changes. This is a great way to start, it brings attention from people who are searching for the original and when they stumble on this track, they will definitely get hooked. The production and vocal mixing is superb. That’s something that was perfect from track 1. The next single would be titled “SCARLETT’S WEEKEND” which is his most streamed song to date with almost 9 million streams on Spotify. This is one of his best songs to date. The vibe and energy behind this piece is something else. He puts his vocals and acoustic artistry on full display here. He hits some beautifully high notes and his melodies are just infectious. This is a great show of talent within just one single track, it makes sense why it’s his most streamed. Glad that people showed love for this, it’s a really powerful piece. 2021 would be his most active year and is the year that I began to listen to him.
The track that caught my attention is “FMU.” This is a hit, one of those just memorable hooks that really got stuck in my head early on. It’s a great track with some energy with a music video that delivers a very sexual atmosphere. It’s a great release that reached a good number of people, myself included. Russell would continue to pump out hits throughout the year with “Candy Red,” “WAKEUPNEXT2U,” and “Lindsay’s Freestyle.” “WAKEUPNEXT2U” is the stand-out track to me. I love the first half of the track, the passionate delivery and vocal range of Russell mixed with the beautiful piano riff just makes for a very emotional experience. It puts you in your feels and that’s something that isn’t always easy to achieve especially as a man. The second half of the track brings in a beat and transitions the track into a different mood. Something a bit more upbeat and exciting. His range and diversity in delivery and instrumental style are what make him so good. The mixing and production quality as mentioned earlier is just superb. No need to even talk in-depth, he has some quality people around him and his work reflects that. 2022 and 2023 would only deliver 3 singles. “FEELS SO RIGHT,” “R U UP,” and “BONITA JAM 2002.” “FEELS SO RIGHT” is a very back-to-basics track, it’s a classic Russell with his exceptional vocals and simple yet fun beat selection. The lack of a project is something that I feel is holding Russell back from really taking it to the next level. his music and singles releases so far are amazing. Not a one miss. But a project of some kind is necessary for that next step. A lot of artists drop project way too early but some just wait too long. I hope we will get one this year. a short 5/6 track EP would be a huge moment for the fans and one that will spark a large conversation around Russell’s name in the industry. Cause projects are what everyone looks at to see someone’s true talent and artistic vision. This would be a big moment for Russell and the next logical step in his career. Regardless what he does, I’m excited to see where he goes next.
Written by Maxim Bayarsky
