Rising Toronto R and B sensation Jordan Croucher aka JRDN is enjoying his first cross-country tour with top selling pop act Hedley, which stops by the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Feb. 20.
“Every night has been amazing,” said JRDN from an hour outside Cold Lake, just about to leave for the night’s gig.
“It’s been good for me. I’ve never been on an arena tour before,” he said adding fans have been great for the shows.
JRDN’s smooth R and B stylings may seem like a bit of a contrast to Hedley‘s punk tinged pop music, but is surprisingly a suitable fit for the more pop direction of Hedley’s latest album “ Wild Life.”
“ It is a different bill. I’m very fortunate. Not many R and B acts get to go across Canada on a tour like this. So I hope to turn a few Hedley fans onto some R and B,” he said.
Fans have been receptive to his music.
“I thought I heard one guy shout out ‘Who are you,’ but that’s been about it,” he said.
JRDN and Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard got to know each other while competing in the 2004 edition of Canadian Idol, but their management and book teams got them together.
“He made it into the Top 32, I made it into the Top 100 before being cut,” he continued.
“ It was a great experience,” he said.
He opened for a couple one off shows in Peterborough and Halifax, but this is the first full tour with Hedley.
JRDN first got interested in singing R and B music when his friend turned him on to Babyface’s “Tender Lover” CD.
““ I heard this song “Sunshine” and learned how to sing it and it took off from there,” he said adding he was drawn to the groove of R and B music.
“Just the groove appeals to a laid back person like myself. That’s the reason I fell in love with it,” he said.
He just released a self titled seven song EP on Feb. 11 with the second single “Love Ain’t Enough” on Feb. 11.
The first single was “Can’t Choose.”
The lyrics of of “Love Ain’t Enough” resonated with JRDN.
“ I was dealing with a love lost. I was giving a lot of energy and it wasn’t being reciprocated,” he summarized.
He had a batch of 20 songs to choose from for the EP and for another full length record he hopes will be complete by the end of the year.
He is excited about the show, which he is playing with a “three-and-a-half” piece band, Jordan, Otis and Julian who plays guitar and keyboards. He hadn’t worked with them before beginning this tour.
His live set is all about the music.
“ I don’t dance. I don’t do much running around,” he said.
“They’re just going to be hearing some R and B. I’m going to give them a lot of energy and focus on the performance,” he said.
“ The last time I was in Lethbridge was with (rapper) Classified in 2007 or 2008, but I can’t remember where,” he said.
The show, which also features Danny Fernandes and Alyssa Reid, begins at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Enmax Centre. Tickets cost $45-$75.
