Jessie Reyez’s Fiery "Far Away," New Album Out Next Year

While mainstream pop music is dominated by a range of big artists from Halsey to Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, Jessie Reyez has managed to grasp a foothold in recent years with poignant lyrics and an eclectic voice. Her technique of mixing pop with R&B has formed several hits, and new single, “Far Away,” is no exception.

Although Reyez is currently based in Toronto, her parents are Colombian and she has previously lived in Miami, tying her to the United State’s immigration and customs crisis, a topic which the track focuses on. “Far Away” does its own part to bring attention to the brutal separation of families at the hands of ICE. Reyez speaks about the song, “Attachment to someone is both something beautiful and something painful. Imagine finally finding your home in another human being but they’re stuck on the other side of this rock we’re still on. You’re left wanting nothing more than a hug—their hug—that simultaneously feels like a pillow and a drug. Somehow when they hurt, you hurt.”

The pain is noticeably felt in the song, which depicts two lovers torn apart at the border. Beginning with Reyez’s soft humming, her high voice soon laments the ongoing issue— the music video overlaid with video snippets of Trump. Still, there is hope, as she describes the loving relationship full of trust and empathy, back-dropped by steady R&B tunes.

One of Reyez’s previous hits, “Shutter Island,” from her EP Kiddo, takes an entirely different turn. Springing out of the gate with twisting and shouting intro chords and dissolving into siren-like smooth melodies and words, Reyez sings of her broken heart and the person who broke it. The chorus blasts loud with a defiant acknowledgement of her state of mind, inter-spliced with whispered spoken words. The combination rolls together perfectly and is not easily forgotten.

With an impressive slew of collaborators— including Normani, Eminem, Kehlani, and Sam Smith— numerous awards, and an ever-growing amount of streams, it is clear Reyez is climbing up, keeping the issues important to her close as she moves forward.

Jessie Reyez asks listeners to assist charitable humanitarian organizations that aid the current U.S. immigration crisis, including ACLU, Al Ortos Lado, and The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project. Be on the lookout for her highly anticipated debut studio record, out next year.