BLXST Releases Highly Anticipated Debut Project, ‘I’ll Always Come Find You’

Los Angeles very own, Blxst, who has catapulted into mainstream success in recent years with help from hits like ‘Chosen’ featuring Ty Dolla Sign, and his feature on Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed album, Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers, finally released his long-awaited debut album I’ll Always Come Find You. 

Fresh off the back of the lead single, ‘Dance With The Devil’ featuring Anderson .Paak, Blxst released the project on July 19th, treating fans to an hour of intricate storytelling and incredible production. Executively produced by Grammy-winning producer Sounwave, who is notorious for lending his talents to artists like Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce and Taylor Swift, the project spans 20 tracks, weaving a cohesive story across four chapters, helping give each track their moment to shine.  

The album opens with ‘Paper Route’, featuring 2 Chainz. Usually, the opening track gives you the understanding of an album sonically, a way to introduce you to what you are about to listen to. However, in typical Blxst fashion, the album bends and manipulates genres, and instead the opening track presents you with a concept. As we have seen in recent years, from Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter and Charli XCX’s Brat, the revival of the ‘concept’ album is well and truly alive. Blxst builds a cinematic world around a character he created, Birdie, a young man who inherits his father’s chauffeur car service upon his sudden passing. While Birdie’s focus is on the destination ahead, he is confronted with a constant reminder of the life lessons his father instilled in him as experiences unfold in the backseat.

The effortless transition from the first track, brings you to ‘Evgle & Son’, LaRoyce Hawkins, (known for playing Kevin on Chicago P.D.) who voices Birdie’s father, Big E, can be heard dishing out paternal advice to his son. This unique listening experience encourages listeners to make room for their own perspective, imagine their own scenarios and tales from their relationships and enables the listener to learn from the interludes.  

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Speaking about the idea for a concept album, Blsxt said, “the character Birdie and I have gone through similar experiences but in alternate universes. It’s my way of telling a relatable story while protecting my privacy. This album can be anyone’s story.”  

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Blxst continues to immerse the listener into the life of Birdie, and the people he meets along his journey. The inclusion of car doors slamming, engines revving (‘Reason’), and faux radio DJs (‘Long Way’ featuring Amanda Reifer) enhance the experience, further pushing the themes of love, relationships, and personal identity. These sounds are the soundtrack to our everyday life and allow us to take the trials and tribulations from the songs and apply them to our understanding of what goes on around us.  

Blxst sticks to his guns throughout this project, staying true to his roots creating hits like ‘How Many’, highlighting his signature LA R&B sound and showing love to west-coast legends like Nipsey Hussle and E40. However, this record cannot and should not be labelled as “R&B.” Blxst manages to find pockets in other sounds too, ranging from rhythmic reggaeton to house beats.

The featured artists are integral to helping balance the cohesiveness throughout this project. This intentional selection of features and interludes builds upon the world Birdie is living in. Whether that is Offset’ excessive boasting and flaunting throughout ‘Risk Taker’, Joyce Wrice’s angelic back-in vocals amplifying the despair Birdie is facing in ‘Better Off Friends’ or the cross-cultural number ‘Rewind’, where Feid & Becky G help Blxst explain the vision through Spanish.

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Speaking about the importance of stretching across genres and exploring new visions, Blxst noted, “Understanding the position I play being from L.A., I feel like it’s my obligation to bridge that gap and show people from my city different tastes, cultures, music, food and fashion. It’s a big world and I’d be crazy to limit myself to just one thing.”  

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The closing chapter of the album hones in on the true essence of the project, bringing a closure to Birdie’s journey. The slower BPM and calm pace embrace the feeling of cruising through the city on a late night, reminiscing on the adventures that once took place. On ‘Ten Summers or Better’, the warmth of Kamasi Washington’s grand arrangements in the 21-piece live orchestra signal brighter days ahead, and the room for growth and consideration. 

The album gives us a glimpse into the journey rather than the destination. Showcasing the ups and downs, failures, and successes of a character's life, encompassing reliable thoughts and scenarios that demand reflection and introspection. This project invites you to learn that the process is always a crucial part to the outcome, and to truly understand the finishing line is a place but the journey is the prize.  

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“Sometimes we’re so focused on the destination that we get distracted by everything that’s happening in the present,” There’s so much beauty around us in real time and if you don’t appreciate it, you’ll never grasp that moment.”  

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Listen to Blxst's new album I’ll Always Come Find You on Spotify using the link below.