Penny Taylor and his music grow into “R&B with an edge” in new song “Cuff”
By Kurt Beyers
Since his first track in 2019, Penny Taylor has released more than 50 songs, which includes two six-track EPs, a five-track EP and a 16-track album.
With “Cuff,” dropping on June 5, he believes he has found his sound.
He calls it “R&B with an edge.”
“‘Cuff’ was my first attempt at writing an R&B song from start to finish with a mainstream appeal to it. It is basically a song expressing the desire to actually be in a relationship with someone, with all the perks that come with that.”
Until “Cuff,” he also hadn’t written a song where the theme is wanting to be in a relationship — to cuff.
That said, this song doesn’t have any double entendres.
“No double meanings,” he said, and that applies to the clean, radio cut as well as the explicit one.
Kiss on them lips be how I make you wetterCrossing the finish we’ll do it togetherBody a canvas I’m painting it vividTalking is cheap so I paid you a visit
“Cuff is like a slang for getting together. It doesn’t even have to be on a sexual level, it could just be personal, having to do with wanting to set expectations and walk into something official,” he said.
In either version, “Cuff” is an easy listening, swinging R&B number in which Penny puts his smooth voice to a soulful melody that is very different from his previous work, which was a lot of streetwise hip-hop and rap — more edge than R&B.
His earlier output had the pounding beats and flow of the street. “Cuff” has the soft, rhythmic melodies of the bedroom and the interaction between lovers.
Penny is a Coloradoan transplanted to Anchorage, Alaska, where he moved to be near family and for opportunity.
“I’ve been doing music for a while. I officially started releasing music on platforms with professional engineering, and mixing in 2019, but I was learning myself as an artist, trying to find my lane and what fits me the best, and I think with ‘Cuff’ I found it. This is the version of me that’s ready to be out there worldwide. I regard this as my first official release.”
Even in his edgy days, his work had some unique touches. The love-gone-wrong motif of “Favorite,” for instance, also had some Christian themes of forgiveness, which he said is a big part of his music.
“I would say my earlier self was more of me having fun being confident and whatever it is that I was trying to do.”
But, he said, he turned away from that route in favor of a more R&B vibe.
“I’m more in touch with the R&B side because it is just so relatable. Everybody goes through some sort of relationship, and things aren’t perfect — ever. I felt like there’s a chance for me to speak on things that may be hard for other people to put into words.”
“Cuff” represents yet one more milestone in his career.
“I’m proud to say that I wrote it all myself, and it blows me away that people who have had a chance to hear it are really impressed by the structure and the writing,” he said.
The video also drops on June 5.
His previous catalogue, which has a lot of fine hip-hop, will stay up as a kind of history of his music.
“Cuff” will be the lead single on another six-track EP he will release sometime in the next year. The working title is The Butterfly Effect.
He is working hard toward his goal of gaining a million listeners by the end of this year or in early 2025. He and his production team spend about six or seven hours on every song, playing with various mixes before mastering, working toward having something to show to big labels.
He had a show recently, in May, and will be doing shows throughout June. In October, he will be the headline at one of Anchorage’s premier entertainment clubs, Koots.
He wants his music to reach a mass audience, and, he said, “I want ‘Cuff” to be heard by everyone. I want it to be reached by masses of people. That’s why I put it out in a clean version as well as an explicit one — just giving the option.”
He said that, as an artist, “you have to gravitate toward what you are, who you are.”
And with his sound, he said, “I am ready to grow.”
Connect to Penny Taylor on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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