Emerging Alt-R&B artist Chevoy delivers an evocative and immersive debut with A Lover’s Portrait, a six-track EP that explores the raw and often unspoken complexities of love and human connection.
With a fusion of soulful melodies, genre-bending production, and deeply introspective lyricism, Chevoy invites listeners on a journey through the highs and lows of romance, capturing the nuances of anxiety, nostalgia, lust, envy, stubbornness, and apathy in vivid sonic detail.
From the opening notes of the sultry “AKA Lover,” Chevoy sets the tone with sensual yet conflicted energy, seamlessly blending R&B smoothness with pop accessibility. His velvety vocals glide over intricate instrumentation, making it impossible not to get lost in the song’s hypnotic allure. This track, much like the entire EP, highlights Chevoy’s innate ability to balance vulnerability with confidence, offering a glimpse into the emotional push and pull of modern relationships.
“Sorry I Missed Your Call” shifts the mood to one of deep reflection. The haunting production, led by Julian Chown’s meticulous mixing and Tim Debney’s masterful finishing touch, allows Chevoy’s voice to shine in its purest form. The song embodies the regret and missed opportunities that often accompany love, making it one of the most relatable and poignant moments on the record.
As the EP unfolds, each track serves as a chapter in a larger narrative, proving Chevoy’s knack for storytelling is just as powerful as his vocal delivery. The closing track, “Run It Back SZN,” leaves listeners lingering in the space between longing and resolution, as Chevoy contemplates the cyclical nature of love and the temptation of revisiting past relationships.
Beyond the music, Chevoy brings A Lover’s Portrait to life with a carefully curated visual experience, releasing a trilogy of videos that add layers of depth to the EP’s themes. Starting with “AKA Lover” on July 26, 2024, followed by “Sorry I Missed Your Call” on October 24, and culminating with “Run It Back SZN” on December 3, these visuals serve as an extension of Chevoy’s artistry, allowing audiences to engage with his music on a multi-sensory level.
Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, and raised in the UK, Chevoy’s influences stem from his early experiences in church and a lifelong passion for songwriting. His ability to weave personal experiences into universal narratives is what makes A Lover’s Portrait more than just an EP—it’s an introspective love letter to the human experience.
With this debut, Chevoy solidifies himself as an artist to watch, blending Alt-R&B and pop influences into a sound uniquely his own. A Lover’s Portrait isn’t just an introduction—it’s a statement, proving that Chevoy’s voice is one that demands to be heard.
Your debut EP, A Lover’s Portrait, is deeply introspective and explores a range of emotions. What inspired you to create this project, and was there a particular experience that shaped its direction?
My inspiration came from a mix of personal experience and just my love for storytelling. I’m also a fan of art, so when I decided to create this EP, I wanted to create something that could potentially tie back to this. I wanted the audience to immerse themselves into the EP, experience different sets of feelings. In a sense it can be seen as an evening out at a dimly lit art gallery, viewing portraits through the lens of a ‘lover’. It’s a good mix of a chill atmosphere but quite intense at the same time! It actually all started off with “Aka Lover”, my aunt and close friend nicknamed me ‘Lover’ a few years ago because when I am involved with someone, they can see I get lost in the sauce, and that was their way of teasing me. At the same time, it is a scary feeling being that vulnerable, and truthfully, I try to avoid it, but it happens! So I wanted to express this in ‘Aka Lover’. After this, I just wanted to tell more stories about different emotions that people experience, with love being the topic.
You blend Alt-R&B and pop influences seamlessly in your sound. Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations, and how have they influenced your approach to songwriting and production?
I have a few inspirations. One being ‘The Weeknd’, who I would say is the pioneer of the ‘Dark RnB’ sound and he also showcases vulnerability in his songs from early. SAINt JHN is also another inspiration, I love how his productions are atmospheric and how he blends different genres in his sound. I was born in Jamaica so by default the likes of Bob Marley and Beres Hammond have inspired me. ‘Is This Love’ by Bob Marley is actually my favourite song of all time. That's the one song that doesn’t get skipped when it comes on shuffle! ‘Can’t Stop A Man’ album by Beres Hammond is a storytelling master class. This is one of my favourite albums ever. And probably not surprising but Vybz Kartel also.
For me he is the greatest lyricist of all time. I also grew up in the church, so gospel music was ever present in my household. The first time I performed to a large audience was at church, the congregation actually asked for an encore, I was 6 years old and I don’t remember much at that age but somehow that moment stuck with me. I guess I was destined to try and do this for a living…
Besides artists, my other influences from a production standpoint come from the soundtracks to movies and TV series. I’m actually a homebody so in my spare time I love to watch action thrillers. Especially from the 80s/90s. The synths and the pads they used back then...exceptional! My producer has a few equipment from then, such as the ENSONIQ SQ80, so a lot of my sounds, particularly in my future releases, will come from that period. I know this is a lot to take in, but I just love music!
The themes in your EP touch on anxiety, nostalgia, lust, and apathy—topics that many people can relate to. Was there a song on the project that was particularly difficult to write or record due to its emotional depth?
I wouldn’t say there was a song that I found difficult to write per se, as I am never one to shy away from expressing my feelings on a record. For instance, prior to my EP release, I released two singles which were very personal to me, surrounding the topic of a long distance relationship. But if I had to select one, which was not necessarily difficult, but made me contemplate whether I wanted to put out as it's a record that I actually take accountability on, would be ‘sorry I missed your call’. I have always been told I am stubborn but rarely admit to that fact, or acknowledging that sometimes (or most times if others were to tell) my stubbornness is to my detriment. I guess you can say that song is me taking accountability, but I wanted to have fun with it as well. Growth!
You’ve paired A Lover’s Portrait with a series of visuals that bring your storytelling to life. How important is the visual aspect of your artistry, and what do you hope fans take away from these videos?
It is very important, I always want the fans to be captivated with my visuals as much as the audio. It goes back to my love of watching movies/tv series, so where possible, I will try to bring the story from audio to screen. At times I watch music videos and the visuals don’t match the song. And it may work for some but in this project I needed the audio and visuals to be in sync. I was a bit OCD with it really, the video director can concur! I was heavily involved throughout the whole process from the storyboarding to the editing. I also created all the cover art for the singles and EP. I just can’t help myself, when I have an idea I can be very meticulous in its execution. I am somewhat delusional really, I have these thoughts of making it one day and then eventually transitioning into the film industry! I do want to write a novel one day also.
As an emerging artist, what has been the biggest lesson you've learned about the music industry so far, and what advice would you give to other up-and-coming artists navigating their own journeys?
You have to keep believing in your craft. Remember there are tens of thousands of other artists in the same position as you so don’t be too down on yourself if progress is slow. Have patience and enjoy the journey. It's important to make the music for yourself as much as it's for the fans.
What's next for Chevoy?
Summer is around the corner so I wanna release something that will match the vibe. Very much dancehall influenced! But of course having R&B elements. After this I will be back in my Alt R&B and Pop bag, and possibly release another project before the year ends, concept based again not sure as yet but I will keep pushing the singles out and go from there….I want to create some videos and/or visualisers with these songs as well.