Apple Music today announced Epic Records R&B singer-songwriter Givēon as the latest addition to its Up Next program, Apple Music’s monthly artist initiative geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising talent.
Givēon’s voice is undeniable and uniquely his own with a distinct baritone and thoughtful approach to songwriting. The Long Beach, California, native’s deeply personal lyrics and elegant production choices have made his 2020 Take Time EP one of the most critically acclaimed R&B projects of the year, and a perfect lead-in to his newly released When It’s All Said And Done EP. The latter was released on October 2 and currently #1 on Apple Music’s top R&B albums chart in 7 countries.
Across Apple Music, Givēon has over 70 million worldwide streams since first appearing in 2019 across major tentpole playlists like R&B Now, Future Hits, Breaking R&B, Mood., Brown Sugar, Smooth & Easy, Me & Bae, Up Next, Tearjerkers, Date Night and New Music Daily. In February 2020, Givēon got the official Drake co-sign after appearing on “Chicago Freestyle (feat. Givēon)” and peaked at No. 144 worldwide on the global Shazam charts.
“This is my first time I truly spoke about my journey in detail so the fact that it’s with Apple is unbelievable. I never would’ve thought it would happen this way. This is a dream come true and it makes me extremely excited for the future. “
“Givēon’s unique baritone voice and his ability to craft relatable songs about love and heartbreak make it easy to get lost in his music,’ said Apple Music host Nadeska. “On his second EP, When It’s All Said and Done, the Long Beach singer once again showcases his strength for storytelling by taking us through the emotional progression of a relationship gone wrong.”
Givēon’s Up Next Film
In his Up Next film out today, Givēon traces his journey from singing “Happy Birthday” at family gatherings and working in a Bubba Gump shrimp suit to a million streams, which was simply a humble wish at the beginning of 2020. In his quest to find a way to use his silky voice to make magic, he’s emerged as one of R&B’s most striking voices. “Now I know someone likes my music and my voice, they actually like it,” he says. “It’s an acquired taste. That’s when I realized I’ll have real, genuine fans.”
Additional Up Next campaign moments include a Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance on November 2 and a FaceTime interview with Apple Music’s Nadeska also airing today, where he discusses his inspirations, how far he’s come, and where he still wants to go.
Watch Givēon’s Up Next film HERE
Check out his Apple Music 1 interview with Nadeska HERE
Listen to Giveon’s newest EP, When It’s All Said and Done (Apple Music Up Next Film Edition), along with selections from the rest of the artists in the Up Next series HERE
About Apple Music’s Up Next Program
Up Next is Apple Music’s monthly artist program geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising star talent. Each month, Apple Music’s editorial team selects an artist to promote, utilizing the full force of the platform to raise awareness of the artist to its growing global audience of music fans. The program includes an Apple Music short film shot entirely on iPhone 11 Pro introducing the artist, an interview with one of our Beats 1 anchors, a late night TV performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and more.
In addition, the vast Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone and Natanael Cano.
In 2020, Apple Music’s Up Next artist program has expanded into its fourth year and includes a curated companion Up Next playlist featuring a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world. The playlist is genre and country agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience. As the newest induction into Apple Music’s Up Next roster, Givēon joins some of today’s most exciting and promising artists and will serve as the official Up Next playlist cover star to be spotlighted throughout the month. Add the Apple Music Up Next Playlist into your listening rotation today.
About Givēon
Twenty-five year old singing sensation Givēon is gearing up for a big finish to 2020. The Long Beach native has already landed in stardom, thanks to his vocals on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle,” coupled with the release of his own single “Like I Want You.” The video was met with over 17 million views on YouTube alone, and the single has reached over 105M US streams to date across streaming platforms, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Emerging Artist chart and #25 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. His debut EP Take Time was met with critical acclaim, as everyone from Billboard to NPR recognized this rising star’s reach. He even grabbed a song placement on Season 4 of HBO’s Insecure with his track “World We Created.”
By August, Givēon reworked “Like I Want You” (dubbed “Side A”) with “Side B” being a cover of D’Angelo’s classic “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” serendipitously also recorded at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios where D’Angelo recorded the hit. His new EP When It’s All Said And Done, picks up where Take Time left off, detailing the peaks and valleys of a love story gone awry. With a Rat Pack-style vibe and elevated storytelling woven tightly through his music, Givēon is here to give R&B the re-up it needs. And he’s just getting started.
