It’s been ten years since the mainstream lost sight of the undeniable star JoJo. During the beginning of press for her third album Mad Love, JoJo admitted she didn’t like the taglines of her “making a return” or “being back” because she never stopped making and releasing music. Agape was my favorite project from the Boston native; showcasing her mature artistry through a soulful mixtape I still enjoy. Or let’s not forget the slew of covers like Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” and Shawn Mendes hit “Treat You Better” that had JoJo putting her spin on songs she was feeling at the moment. 

No, Mad Love isn’t a comeback or grand return.  It’s a declaration of freedom from an artist that deserves mad love and recognition and I hope this album will be the alarm that wakes the masses from their hibernation. JoJo is alive and ready to reintroduce herself to the world and Mad Love is just the beginning of a long career but let’s get into my short time with the album. 

Since JoJo hasn’t been able to properly release an album since the early 2000s there has been a lot of excitement and anticipation around Mad Love. We all know the “Fuck Apologies” songstress can sang and has what it takes to drop hit songs but we weren’t sure if the time away from the spotlight would negatively impact her ability to sell out shows and drop records that people will listen to and most importantly buy them. With Mad Love currently sitting in the top five of the iTunes Charts (#1 on the pop and main album charts when I was writing this) it looks like support won’t be a problem for JoJo and she has a lot to say with this record. 

“Music.” is the introduction to Mad Love and it’s a powerful way to start an album that means more to Jo than we’ll probably ever know. With a piano accompanying her JoJo sings about why music means so much to her and the effect it has had on her life. The song hits deep when she starts singing about her dad and with each listen the lyrics hold more weight, “Tell me who / Who would I be without you / No matter how much we lose / Every time I bet my life on you.” 
Alessia Cara assists JoJo on the more upbeat next track “I Can Only.” where the duo sing about only being able to be themselves. It’s awesome that two authentic artists got a chance to collaborate and the result of their work is a chill bop from artists that know the beauty of being themselves. Honesty is the theme for Mad Love. Whether it be not feeling the need to apologize for her feelings on “Fuck Apologizes” or wanting to be real rather than playing games on “Honest”,  JoJo has you covered if you want to vibe out in your feelings or dance your troubles away. 

While JoJo’s voice soars throughout this album, the title track effortlessly shows why JoJo is considered one of the best artists of this generation and why after years of not being able to put out of music; she can come out the gate and have tons of fans willing to support her work. “Mad Love.” still touches my soul when JoJo pulls back on the bridge before belting out the end of the hook. There is something to appreciate from each track but I think the lyrics are what I love most about this album. “Edibles.” for example is a sensual, playful song about making love on you guessed it edibles. When JoJo reaches the second verse, I’m hooked and ready to replay the high cut. 

From the first couple of listens my favorite tracks are: “Edibles.”,  “Clovers.”, “Honest.”, and “Mad Love.” but I have no doubt that I’ll continue to spin the whole album throughout the weekend. Even though Mad Love features some dope artists like Wiz Khalifa and Remy Ma that are hot at the moment and has a few potential hits, it doesn’t sound like JoJo is chasing a radio hit and I commend her for that since this is her big venture back into the spotlight since breaking free from Blackground Records. 

I could go on with my praises for this album but all you need to know is that JoJo sounds amazing, Mad Love is a quality record and I can’t wait to see where her talent takes her next. The feel good vibe of this is evident and I can’t help but want JoJo to win after all she’s been through. Get into it and fall back in love with JoJo if you were one of those FABs that have been sleeping on her for the past 10 years.  Just kidding it’s all love. It’s mad love. I’m done now. 

What do you think of Mad Love? Let me know in the comments and make sure to support JoJo by streaming / buying her album with the links below. 

Apple Music: HERE 

Tidal: HERE

Spotify: HERE

iTunes: HERE