Coco Jones is having an outstanding year. As the final season of “Bel-Air” recently kicked off, she got engaged and released a new single just in time for the holidays titled “Skip My House.” Co-written by Jones, Avital Margulies, and Sara Diamond, this catchy song continues the trend she started last year with her impressive EP, “Coco By The Fireplace.”
On that project, Jones made a wise choice by avoiding cover songs and standards, instead focusing on original material that highlights her songwriting talent. This decision affirms that, with dedication, R&B artists can create engaging modern holiday music.
In “Skip My House,” produced by Johnny Thomas Jr., Jones finds a rare sense of satisfaction. She sighs with relief as the groove unfolds. The beat flows gently, like a crackling fire, and she moves into it as someone who has finally learned to appreciate happiness right on her porch.
There’s no rushing toward the next miracle or anxiously checking off items on life’s to-do list. Instead, there’s a peaceful acceptance of the idea that this is what she needs, and it is enough. Her voice conveys this message with a light but persistent touch.
Rather than asking the universe for something new and shiny, she embraces gratitude and savors the moment as if it’s the last delicious cup of hot cocoa on a snowy night. “I already counted, and my blessings came pouring in,” she sings, her voice filled with contentment.
She’s not in a hurry to rush through the season: “Hoping I can freeze the time now while it’s snowing.” In a line that feels like a warm hand on your chest, she tells the universe—and Santa—to take a break this year: “You can skip my house this year. I already have everything I need right here.”
“Skip My House” is a song that radiates contentment without losing its sparkle, gently reminding us that sometimes having enough is truly enough.
Final Grade: B+
“Skip My House” is available on all streaming platforms.
My introduction to Nate Dogg goes back to Dr. Dre’s 1992 debut, The Chronic, and the song “Deeez Nuuuts.” Even then, something about Nate’s voice set him apart from everybody else. He wasn’t just singing on rap records. He was bringing soul, gospel, street knowledge, and West Coast cool into the same space. He set the standard for hook singers in hip-hop, and dare I say, he’s still vastly underrated.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to give Stevie Wonder his due as he prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his masterpiece, “Songs in the Key of Life,” on tour. While the easy choice could have been “Knocks Me Off My Feet”—a classic that still resonates fifty years later—I chose “From the Bottom of My Heart,” the second single from his twenty-third studio album, “A Time to Love,” released in 2005.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.