“Lonely Avenue: A road that eventually everybody has to go down.” — Jonathan May

 

Fear, love, and passion are just some of the feelings we experience as human beings and they can all be viewed through the 20-year-old artist’s perspective.

 

As whispers of anticipation swirls in the musical ether, Jonathan May emerges onto the scene with his enigmatic debut mixtape, "Lonely Avenue.” Amidst the cacophony of mainstream releases, May's offering stands out like a solitary figure in the night, beckoning listeners to embark on a journey through the labyrinth of his soul.

 

Self produced, written, performed, arranged, mixed, and mastered, Jonathan May demonstrates the possibilities of creating musical pieces autonomously while combining genres like R&B, Ambitious Pop, and Rap, initiating a genre-bending lane of his own. On tracks such as the pulsating, darkly seductive essence of "Sensual," to the soul-stirring and emotive balladry of "Eyes At Night," May showcases the full range of his musical versatility.

 

The LA-based artist even conveys the message that while you can run, you may never escape your inner reflections on the soothing “Heart Beat,” delivering a catchy chorus—“There’s no leaving this party, oh”—backed by an atmospheric production ideally suited for a late-night drive. Additionally, the six-minute duration of “Red Heifer” invites listeners into uncharted sonic territory, culminating in a climactic fusion of Travis Scott-inspired vocal chops that elevate May’s intricate bar-for-bar rap performance. He begs to listeners in utter sensitivity as he sings, “I’m warning you to pray for your life.”

 

Jonathan May isn’t all alone on this mixtape, however; he’s joined by Grammy-award winning rapper KayCyy on the thunderous and ear-splitting hip-hop duet, “Matters To Me.” May’s long-time childhood friend, Elon, also hops aboard on their collaborative track “Echoes,” and delivers bars so clever, you’d need to rewind a few times to get the gist. 

 

The 14 tracks on "Lonely Avenue" bears witness to the depths of Jonathan May's emotional landscape. Yet, amidst the darkness, there lay a glimmer of redemption, as he embraces vulnerability as a source of strength rather than weakness. For in the lonely avenues of his music, listeners can find not just solitude, but also communion—a shared experience that reminds them that they were never truly alone after all.