Nectar is the second studio album by the Japanese singer Joji, released on 25 September 2020 via 88rising. It features the singles "Sanctuary", "Run", "Gimme Love", "Daylight" with Diplo, and "Your Man", as well as collaborations with Benee, Lil Yachty, Omar Apollo, Yves Tumor and Rei Brown.[5]
| Nectar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 25 September 2020 | |||
| Genre | R&B[1] | |||
| Length | 53:14 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Joji chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Nectar | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Slant Magazine |  [3] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [4] |
Background
The album was announced on 17 April 2020 with the single "Gimme Love".[6] It was originally set to be released on 10 July 2020;[6] however, on 12 June 2020 Joji announced that the album had been delayed to 25 September 2020, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] Joji revealed the track listing on 11 September.[8][9]
Composition
Musically, Nectar is an R&B record,[1] that incorporates elements of rock,[10] alternative pop,[11] and alternative R&B.[2]
In an interview with GQ, Joji revealed how the album's title was chosen, which first came to his mind after finding dead ants in his freezer and joking about titling the album Nectar. He intended to make love songs with a "slightly darker twist" for the album, along with critiquing materialism, citing "Pretty Boy" as a song about making fun of lifestyles similar to it.[12]
Promotion
Singles
On 14 June 2019, "Sanctuary" was released on streaming services, as the album's lead single. The song peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his second entry on the chart.[13] Its music video was released alongside the song.[14]
On 6 February 2020, the album's second single, "Run", was released. The song peaked at nunber 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.[15] Its music video was released alongside the song.[16]
On 16 April 2020, the album's third single, "Gimme Love" was released, alongside the announcement of Nectar. Its music video was released the same day.[17]
The album's fourth single, "Daylight", was released on 6 August 2020. Its music video was released the same day.[18]
"Your Man" was sent to the contemporary hit radio format on 20 October 2020, as the album's fifth and final single.[19]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ew" |
|
| 3:27 |
| 2. | "Modus" |
| Stint | 3:27 |
| 3. | "Tick Tock" |
| West1ne | 2:12 |
| 4. | "Daylight" (with Diplo) |
|
| 2:43 |
| 5. | "Upgrade" |
|
| 1:29 |
| 6. | "Gimme Love" |
|
| 3:34 |
| 7. | "Run" |
| 3:15 | |
| 8. | "Sanctuary" |
| Raisen | 3:00 |
| 9. | "High Hopes" (featuring Omar Apollo) |
|
| 3:02 |
| 10. | "Nitrous" |
| 2:11 | |
| 11. | "Pretty Boy" (featuring Lil Yachty) |
|
| 2:36 |
| 12. | "Normal People" (featuring Rei Brown) |
|
| 2:46 |
| 13. | "Afterthought" (with Benee) |
|
| 3:14 |
| 14. | "Mr. Hollywood" |
|
| 3:22 |
| 15. | "777" |
|
| 3:01 |
| 16. | "Reanimator" (featuring Yves Tumor) |
|
| 3:03 |
| 17. | "Like You Do" |
|
| 4:00 |
| 18. | "Your Man" | Jim-E Stack | 2:43 | |
| Total length: | 53:05 | |||
Notes
Personnel
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[42] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[43] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[44] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||