Rochelle Jordan's 15-Year Grind Pays Off
Rochelle Jordan is finally having her moment after a 15-year grind in the industry. The FADER's cover story highlights her slow but steady ascent, the future-facing house-R&B sound she's championed, and the overdue recognition she's now receiving — her British-Jamaican heritage and genre-bending approach make her one of this year's essential listens.
Born in the UK to British-Jamaican parents and raised in Toronto, Rochelle Jordan's sound is a product of her multicultural upbringing. Her father, a drummer, introduced her to Northern soul, reggae, and dancehall, while her older brother’s love for UK house, garage, and drum and bass heavily influenced her genre-blending style. Her early career began in the 2010s, building a following on SoundCloud and niche blogs with a throwback R&B sound. This period included releases like the EPs *ROJO* (2011) and *Pressure* (2012), and her debut full-length album, *1021*, in 2014. The track "Lowkey" from *1021* later found viral success on TikTok, amassing nearly 25 million Spotify streams as of 2024. A nearly seven-year gap between full-length albums was the result of industry setbacks and personal health struggles, including sickle cell anemia and depression. During this time, she parted ways with a management deal that she described as "toxic" due to a lack of creative freedom. Her 2021 comeback album, *Play with the Changes*, released on TOKiMONSTA's Young Art Records, marked a significant shift towards a house-oriented sound. The album was longlisted for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and featured production from collaborators like KLSH, Machinedrum, and Jimmy Edgar. Jordan's longtime creative partner has been producer KLSH, who discovered her through YouTube covers in 2009 and has executive produced all of her projects. Their collaboration is built on a shared interest in forward-thinking electronic and R&B music. Her 2025 album, *Through the Wall*, received critical acclaim, earning a "Best New Music" designation from Pitchfork. The album features a blend of UK garage and soulful house, with production from KLSH, Chicago house veteran Terry Hunter, and Kaytranada, solidifying her status as a key figure in the electronic and club music scenes.
