(Audible Treats) K'Jon scored one of the most impressive R&B crossover debuts of the year, with his new Universal Republic album I Get Around landing in the Top 15 of the Billboard Top Albums chart this week. The eye-opening debut, logging in at # 12 and # 5 on the R&B chart, is due in large part to the Detroit native's epic first single, "On The Ocean," which already reigns as one of 2009's smash hit dual-qualifiers - a certified radio and club smash.
The classic single owned the nightlife grid for months as a popular 'stepping' song before becoming one of the most requested urban radio hits of the year. "On The Ocean" locked the #1 spot at the Urban AC format for more than a month, with radio listeners and online music followers extending the grassroots wave stirred by the song's soulful message of perseverance. "On The Ocean" was also a multiple format radio-record breaker, making the biggest vault to #1 in BDS-based chart history, overtaking the previous high-water mark set by superstar Alicia Keys with her 2001 classic "Fallen."
K' Jon's new single, the breakup-to-makeup ballad "This Time," is proving a worthy follow-up, already soaring at urban-adult formats, entering the radio fray as one of the most added/played songs of late summer. Critics have been favorably weighing in on the new album, with the singer/songwriter's hometown Detroit Free Press calling the fifteen-track effort a , "boldly autobiographical work... K'Jon is poised to be Detroit's next big breakout act." USA Today also hailed the major label debut, touting I Get Around's "distinctive phrasing and thoughtful songwriting which sets K'Jon apart... his ship has finally come in."
Avery Lipman, Co-President & Chief Operating Officer of Universal Republic Records, echoed the words of praise for the multi-talented vocalist: "K'Jon is one of those rare artists who packs a message of hope with an undeniable staying power, earning the respect of his audience by inhabiting the same tenacious qualities he magically conveys in his music. We're thrilled to see mainstream music fans embrace and reward his talent with this awesome debut. The entire company joins me in congratulating K'Jon on his much deserved success."