Jasmine Cephas Jones Unveils Highly Anticipated Debut Album 'Phoenix'

EMMY and GRAMMY-award winning singer, songwriter, and actress Jasmine Cephas Jones proudly unveiled her debut album PHOENIX, available now on all streaming platforms. Led by the deeply personal and evocative first singles “Come My Way,” “Baby I Can’t Give You Up,” “Bad Habits” and “Brighter (feat. Kevin Garrett),” the captivating 13-track album finds Jasmine boldly stepping into herself as an artist and as a woman, delivering a poignant, passionate, and powerful body of work anchored by simmering R&B soundscapes laced with neo-soul attitude. In celebration of her album release, she will be performing “Bad Habits” live today on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” at 3 p.m. on NBC.

PHOENIX marks a bold new chapter in Jones' illustrious career, showcasing her evolution as a singer-songwriter. To create the sonic masterpiece that is now her debut album, Jasmine leaned on formative inspirations including Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions, D’Angelo’s Voodoo, and Erykah Badu’s Baduizm. Simultaneously, she absorbed the energy of her environment, even recording the sounds of the ocean, birds, airplanes, and nature. Throughout each song, Jasmine takes listeners on a transformative journey of rebirth and resilience, much like the mythical bird the album is named after. 

"I wanted to create an album that represents a journey of rising from the ashes, of finding strength and beauty in the face of challenges," says Jasmine. "Each song on PHOENIX tells a story of growth, love, and self-discovery. I hope it resonates with people on a deep level and inspires them to embrace their own power and potential."

Opening with “I Feel You,” Jasmine is confident and self-assured as her voice shapes the melody of the song. Her emotionally charged delivery melts into soft keys on “Bad Habits.” The momentum only picks up as the icy groove echoes in tandem with a hypnotic hook. “It’s as if you’re constantly battling this old ghost of you in your mind,” she reveals. “You’re discussing all of the negative thoughts that stop you from purely giving unconditional love and attention to yourself.” Sparse piano underlines soulful vocals on the ballad “Baby I Can’t Give You Up,” while bold percussion uplifts the final crescendo to the heavens. Next, “Falling” balances up tempo rhythm with a swaggering groove. On “Brighter (feat. Kevin Garrett),” a funky bassline simmers beneath handclaps as her vibey verses swing towards a dynamic vocal display. Jasmine’s chorus affirms, “I swear you’re my light, and you just get brighter each time,” before Kevin pulls up with scorching response. Then, “Come My Way” shimmers with throwback harmonies, steady claps, and lovestruck vocals as she sets the scene for a romance-in-motion. Josiah Bassey joins for “Can’t Start Loving You,” the sexy, trumpet-backed ‘he said-she said’ between two former flames. “Cali” finds Jasmine at her flirtiest, most playful as she teases “I just got tickets to your city, F*** it I’ll just pull up on you.” With “Your Vibe (feat. Benjamin Earl Turner),” Jasmine continues the sensual swagger as she emphasizes the importance of self-respect and outlines her high standards. The anthemic “Fade in the Water” further illustrates Jasmine’s beautiful journey – the highs, the lows and everything in between which all made her stronger. “I Love You” is a stunning and deeply reflective acoustic ballad which further highlights her limitless vocal range. With the album’s closer, “J.O.Y.,” which stands for ‘jokes on you,’ Jasmine embodies a Phoenix that has finally risen, despite the pain and hardships which only made her stronger. “You thought you hurt me, that s gave me wings,” she proudly exclaims. A power ballad shaped by 80s synths, “J.O.Y.” closes PHOENIX with strength, confidence, and conviction.

“I’ve learned to stop looking to other people for answers,” she leaves off. “The answer has been inside of me all along. I’m completely independent, and I have a blank slate to do whatever I want. There’s nobody telling me what I should do or who I should be. Instead, I’ve learned who I am on Phoenix.”

With a serendipitous sense of foresight, she crafted an album indicative of how far she’s come and where she’s going. Ultimately with the release of PHOENIX, Jasmine rises like never before.

PHOENIX Track List:

1.     I Feel You (Intro)

2.     Bad Habits

3.     Baby I Can’t Give You Up

4.     Falling

5.     Brighter (feat. Kevin Garrett)

6.     Come My Way

7.     Can’t Start Loving You (feat. Josiah Bassey)

8.     Cali

9.     Phoenix Interlude (feat. Ron Cephas Jones)

10.   Your Vibe (feat. Benjamin Earl Turner)

11.   Fade in the Water

12.   I Love You

13.   J.O.Y.

ABOUT JASMINE CEPHAS JONES

EMMY® and GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, and producer Jasmine Cephas Jones takes flight and uplifts audiences on tape, on screen, and on the stage. The world first became acquainted with the multi-talented phenom when she kicked off her career in 2013. Following a series of indie film and television appearances, she famously breathed life into the dual-role of Maria Reynolds and Peggy Schuyler in Hamilton, staying with the production until the end of 2016. Along the way, she garnered a GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Musical Theater Album” for her contributions to the RIAA Diamond-certified Hamilton – Original Broadway Cast Recording. She went on to shine in Mistress America, Dog Days, and Blindspotting. During 2020, she received an EMMY® Award for her role in #Freerayshawn, emerging as “the first-ever Black woman to win in the category of ‘Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series’.” Her late father Ron Cephas Jones also picked up a trophy at the ceremony, enshrining them as “the first father-daughter duo to win EMMY® Awards.”  In addition, she reprised her role as Ashley in the Blindspotting series—which she also produced. In between, she unveiled her Blue Bird EP [2020]. Beyond generating millions of streams, it earned praise from The New York Times, People, and Refinery29, to name a few. Jasmine’s debut album PHOENIX is available now wherever you listen to music. 

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