There's something instantly classic about Gallant. The RnB/pop genre jumper is a powerful vocalist with one of the most accomplished debuts of the last few years but, in many ways, he still feels like a hidden secret. For the most part, Gallant has avoided big-name rap hooks and cosigns to focus on his own craft which just keeps growing stronger - buoyed by that soaring voice.
The Maryland-born singer has been generating internet hype since 2013 but it wasn't until his 2016 debut album Ology that he really started to soar. The 16-track effort was a soulful masterpiece, piecing raw soul moments with pop-tinged modern RnB. When his falsetto pierced it was powerful and when it hit its lows it grabbed for the heart. A Jhene Aiko collaboration Skipping Stones made waves but it was the shuddering Weight In Gold that took off, remaining his most streamed song today.
While Ology garnered critical acclaim, Gallant also started impressing with his voice, recruiting other superstars for duets. He went toe-to-toe with Seal on a Weight In Gold duet that made him look like an instant classic and also took on an Amy Winehouse cover with Dua Lipa who was on the very edge of becoming a modern superstar. He also tapped into his indie sensibilities with a Sufjan Stevens duet on Blue Bucket Of Gold which basically shattered our little hearts.
Ology arrived at an incredible time for RnB. Daniel Caesar was gearing up to drop his debut album Freudian, H.E.R. has just begun her enigmatic assault on the industry and Ella Mai was a year off releasing megahit Boo'd Up. In 2017, he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album alongside Rihanna and Anderson .Paak. He lost to Beyoncé's Lemonade, potentially the only person who losing to is okay. The next year, that same category housed new names SZA, Khalid and 6lack. You can't help but think Ology came just a year before contemporary RnB blew up making awkward, raw artists SZA and Khalid household names.
The moves Gallant took next were unexpected. Instead of lending his enviable vocals to big RnB or hip-hop tracks, he darted in and out of genres, showing off his versatility. He made a pop anthem Cave Me In with Korean-American cult hero Eric Nam, delivered moody RnB with They. on Rockville Station and contributed to Noah Cyrus' best single Mad At You. With every move it felt like he was widening the playing field, shattering expectations in preparation for his second album.
That album has been a long time coming now. Three years, to be exact. Last year, he re-emerged though, paying homage to D'Angelo with the steamy video for Gentlemen. It was an explicit soul moment - made simply for showcasing his vocal talent and lyrical vulnerability. He followed it up with Doesn't Matter, an undeniable pop/RnB crossover that boasted his most accessible chorus to date. He unexpectedly teamed with One Direction and Maroon 5 producer for the effort showing once again he's able to dip in and out of the pop world with his own individual aesthetic always shining through the strongest.
2018 finished with no album but two strong singles. The first Ha Ha No One Can Hear You poked fun at the modern urban music landscape and the lifestyle that goes with it. It was an acknowledgement that he doesn't fit - something that's become abundantly clear by his moves to stay at an arm's reach, in his own lane. For the final cut, he took another left turn, teaming up with Sufjan Stevens for the acoustic guitar-laden TOOGOODTOBETRUE.
Midway into 2019 we still don't have the second album but we do have a new single that feels like a superstar turn. Sharpest Edges manages to synthesise everything he's tried out over the last six years or so. It's soulful and nuanced but it also has a playful pop side that unfolds over a horny chorus. This is Gallant at his most confident, pulling out all his strongest weapons including that glass crystal-shattering falsetto.
Those who have followed Gallant over the past few years ~know~ about Gallant but Sharpest Edges could be the song that takes him to the next level. He's an unspoken hero who is yet to put a foot wrong - now he's ready to make footprints big enough for everyone to see.
