Phoenix James’ “Hold On” is a plea to salvage love slipping away

Though she now lives in New York City, James grew up in Miami and spent summers with her grandmother in Birmingham, Alabama. Naturally, her upcoming Teeth EP cross-pollinates the thumping grooves of Latin and Caribbean music with the dramatic songwriting of the blues. “A coming of age project through love and lots of life transitions,” James calls it. Teeth was first teased last autumn by way of “Nothing Matters”, a silky track that caught the attention of several publications.

Instead of ignoring heartbreak, James sits with the discomfort, carefully choosing production styles that push and pull between momentum and permanence, force and fragility. In collaboration with other NYC‑via‑Miami artists, she stitches together a vivid patchwork of cultural touchpoints. “The whole squad put our brains together,” James says.

Abner Dennis returned as producer and guided James down the path he knew she was aiming for. The two of them fused the best elements of R&B, indie pop, and the songwriting tendencies of the artists James grew up listening to. Unexpected electronic flourishes took the melancholy track in a new direction.

“Abner is so sharp, and he read my mind during this process,” James gushes. “At first, I was super indifferent to any electronic sounds. I initially wanted only live elements, but very quickly surrendered to the idea of adding synths and other elements. They’re the cherry on top, always.”

“Hold On” documents the resistance to letting go of a failing relationship, but doesn’t cloak the sadness in metaphors or distortion. Throughout the songwriting process, James learned to harness her vulnerability and check her ego. The track opens the EP with “a sense of emotional urgency and a plea to salvage something slipping away. It captures the resistance to letting go, even when love starts to feel unfamiliar. There’s vulnerability in the fight, and a quiet hope in the asking.”

Teeth arrives on 27 May, via +1 Records. In the meantime, Phoenix has revealed two EP release shows in New York City and Los Angeles later this spring.