Soul artist Eric Benét will perform at The Birchmere, the renowned music hall in Alexandria, VA, on Wednesday, June 12. Before attending the show, I would like to express my admiration for one of his most renowned ballads, “I Wanna Be Loved,” in observance of this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.

Following the considerable success of his acclaimed wedding ballad ‘Spend My Life With You,’ featured in his second album in 2001, Eric Benét faced a significant hurdle in his career. His intended release of his third studio album, ‘Better and Better,’ under the Warner Bros. Records label was met with a setback. The label opted not to proceed with the project and stipulated adherence to the R&B genre. This creative roadblock led Benét to Friday Records, a label distributed by Reprise Records, where he found the freedom to create his subsequent album, ‘Hurricane,’ which hit stores in the summer of 2005.

Benét divorce from Halle Berry was finalized in January of that year. I’ve always felt that “I Wanna Be Loved” was therapy for the singer. Benet wrote and produced the record with Demonté Posey. The production is somewhat nuanced, and the lyrics show the desire for deep, authentic love and the willingness to take risks despite past heartbreaks.

Singing in his signature falsetto, Benét pours his heart out and delivers a song. The song’s theme revolves around the yearning for authentic and lasting love. The lyrics reflect the hiss readiness to embrace love despite past difficulties and their eagerness to find a partner who will unconditionally love and understand them. As the song closes out, listeners encouraged listeners to be open to the possibilities of love and not to let past experiences hinder their pursuit of happiness.

I’ve seen Mr. Benét thrice, and “I Wanna Be Loved” always brings down the house. I look forward to hearing it live again.

Final Grade: A

“I Wanna Be Loved” is available on all streaming platforms.