For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to venture back to 2007 and show some love to former American Idol contestant Elliot Yamin and his debut single “Wait for You”. The singer who placed third on the fifth season of the singing show was someone I was rooting for from the start, and in my opinion, he should have been in the final instead of Taylor Hicks.
Yamin, who had a rasp in his voice that was made for R&B, linked up with in-demand producers Stargate, who co-wrote the track with Michael Jackson’s nephew, Taj. The trio crafted a slow-tempo ballad in C major that, if a mainstream singer had been on a major label, would have been a huge hit.
From the moment the beat drops and Yamin croons his first note, it’s clear that “Wait for You” is an expression of love and longing for a lost lover. Over the duration, Yamin paints an earnest portrait of a man who is unable to understand why the love of their life would abandon them and have left them all alone, asking them why their pride is making them run and hide.
Despite this, Yamin still loves and misses this person, and is willing to wait for them no matter how long it takes, even if it’s the last thing that they do. Elliot conveys the idea that if the loved one gives them a chance, they can show their love for them and make things right.
The song kicked off a modest indie style for Yamin’s career, which would go on to feature collaborations with R&B heavyweight producers like Johnta Austin, Steve Russell, The Underdogs, and Jermaine Dupri. That said, while the singer never truly broke through, I do feel he’s always been right on the cusp of stardom, and a good biopic portraying John Oates would do wonders for his career.
Nevertheless, “Wait for You” is another solid song from an American Idol alum.
Final Grade: B+
“Wait for You” is available on all streaming platforms.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.