Neo-Soul Crooner Musiq Soulchild is preparing to hit the road for the “R&B Invitation Tour” with fellow singers JOE and Eric Benét. Therefore, it was only right to revisit a ballad from his third album, “Soulstar, for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Arriving in stores on December 9th, the album was led by the up-tempo ditty “Forthenight.” Musiq then dipped into his ballad for the album’s second single, “Whoknows.” Musiq wrote the song with Frank Romano and production duo Carvin & Ivan, who also produced it.
A soulful R&B ballad, the song explores the intricacies and glory of love and closeness. The lyrics are filled with yearning and craving and discuss connecting spiritually outside of a relationship’s material dimensions. ‘The relationship they want isn’t just a short experience; it’s about getting to know and feel the person,’ Musiq says in the opening verse. The reference to love as transcendental indicates the yearning for something real.
The chorus captures the uncertainty and anticipation of being willing to open oneself to love. Musiq is about the growth and emotional contentment one might derive from taking love at face value and following one’s feelings mindlessly. In the second verse, he speaks about giving his wife enjoyment and solace; he expresses concern and interest in their relationship. The lyrics say it’s about enjoying yourself together and being 100% committed to a relationship.
The bridge validates and encourages the singer as she acknowledges that she wants the same for her partner. It urges the partner to relax and accept the relationship, stay in the moment, and feel the love being given.
The message of taking a chance with love and letting yourself go unprotected is repeated throughout the song. Musiq encourages his lady love to let go of inhibitions and anxieties and accept the love given to them. Using metaphors such as “losing themselves in a world made for us and no one else” makes the connection more intimate and exclusive, as if they had created a holy space with their love.
“Whoknows” evokes love, hope, and the transformative value of real connection. It stresses being loving, vulnerable, and loving the tense moments of sex and development that are inherent in it. The song is powerful because it reflects on the human capacity for feeling and the splendor of being together in a loving relationship.
Final Grade: B+
“Whoknows” from “Soulstar” is available on all streaming platforms.
Tickets for the R&B Invitation Tour are available at Ticketmaster.com.
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