PARTYNEXTDOOR

The persona of Jahron Brathwaite, PartyNextDoor finds the Mississauga-born, Toronto-based artist refining a low-key, hip-hop-inspired form of contemporary R&B that has drawn natural comparisons to fellow Canadians Drake and the Weeknd. No stranger to featured appearances himself, the singer, songwriter, and producer has lent his skills to a handful of Drake cuts, as well as tracks by the likes of Big Sean, Lil Yachty, Rihanna (most notably “Work”), Major Lazer, and ZAYN. The first artist signed to Drake’s OVO Sound label, Brathwaite debuted in 2013 and soon notched two hit singles, “Come and See Me” and “Not Nice.” His albums have also charted high, including Top Ten Canadian and U.S. debuts for 2016′s PartyNextDoor 3 (a Juno-nominated recording) and 2020′s Partymobile. The latter was quickly followed by Partypack, one of his many supplemental EPs. He returned from a subsequent break of sorts with the 2023 single “Her Old Friends,” which preceded PartyNextDoor 4 in 2024. Brathwaite made his self-titled debut on Drake’s Warner Bros.-supported OVO Sound label in July 2013. A low-profile release with Drake featured on one cut, it reached number 34 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. A sequel, PartyNextDoor Two, followed in July 2014 with a greater promotional push. It topped the R&B/hip-hop chart and crossed into the Billboard 200 at number 19, aided by “Recognize,” on which Drake once again provided an assist. PNDColours, a four-track EP, followed in December 2014. A little less than two years later, “Come and See Me,” yet another Drake-enhanced track, became Brathwaite’s first single to crack the Hot 100. The achievement immediately preceded the August 2016 release of his third album, PartyNextDoor 3. The following June, after he had co-written DJ Khaled’s “Shining,” he appeared on Drake’s More Life and was featured on ZAYN’s “Still Got Time.” He issued the Colours 2 EP, featuring the Majid Jordan collaboration “One I Want,” which arrived later that month, and a second 2017 EP, Seven Days, landed in September. PartyNextDoor 3 was later garnered with a Juno Awards nomination for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, and “Come and See Me” was up for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Song. Between solo releases, Brathwaite appeared on tracks such as Calvin Harris’ “Nuh Ready Nuh Ready” and Summer Walker’s “Just Might.” In November 2019, he returned with the Drake-assisted “Loyal.” His biggest hit as a headliner, it became his first Top 20 hit in Canada before the March 2020 arrival of the parent album, Partymobile, his second Top Ten album. Partymobile was given an extra boost by the follow-up single “Believe It,” featuring Rihanna. Within seven months, Brathwaite was back with another EP, Partypack, boasting a posthumous guest verse from Nipsey Hussle and additional appearances from Quavo and Lil Yachty. Brathwaite was relatively quiet over the next couple years. He assisted OG Parker and Diddy respectively with their 2022 singles “No Fuss” and “Sex in the Porsche.” Parker in turn co-produced Brathwaite’s own “Her Old Friends,” a slow jam released in January 2023. “Resentment” and “Real Woman” led up to the release of PartyNextDoor 4 in 2024. ~ Gregory Heaney & Andy Kellman