Music Reviews

Jay Sean Returns To The Spotlight

The British R&B crooner teams up with Gucci Mane and Asian Doll for his latest release, "With You."

Jay Sean

Jay Sean is back with his first release since 2018's "Need To Know" and "Now Or Later," the effortlessly smooth "With You."

Featuring verses from Gucci Mane and Asian Doll, the track flows smoothly enough, with a mournful looped guitar and sharp drums complementing Jay Sean's voice perfectly. But on top of its laid-back production, "With You" tells a story fraught with R&B drama. Sean's vocals are tragically pleading, trying to end a volatile relationship while still caught up in its intoxicating mess. Gucci Mane and Asian Doll, for their part, sound like they're enjoying themselves here: Gucci delights in a ride-or-die lover who asks nearly nothing from him, while Asian Doll remains brashly undistracted from her come-up while entertaining the company of some poor guy "fiending for my love."

"With You" is an almost-too-carefully-constructed party track, but it's also a showcase for three artists refusing to compromise on their success or their independence. It's interesting how differently the same sentiment sounds coming from all three of these artists: Asian Doll, focused on herself above all; Gucci, Trap Godfather who's not going anywhere anytime soon; and Jay Sean, an R&B songbird again feeling a relationship slip out of his hands. It's not a perfect track, but it is a reminder that no matter how much time passes, Jay Sean remains one of the best in the game.

With You




Matthew Apadula is a writer and music critic from New York. His work has previously appeared on GIGsoup Music and in Drunk in a Midnight Choir.


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