Artists You Should Know: Journey Montana Remembers The "212" On New Single and Music Video

Harlem-born artist Journey Montana might’ve just signed to the Los Angeles label 10K Projects but according to her most recent single “212,” immovable parts of her heart still lie in the city she grew up in. She will also be playing a show tonight at The Peppermint Club tonight. If her diaristic style of R&B/soul is not yet on your radar prepare to find yourself obsessed with this newcomer, who got her start self-recording and releasing songs via her MacBook back in 2019. Her early accolades include an anecdotal moment that occurred while she was still an infant when Mariah Carey’s vocal coach remarked on her perfect pitch.

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A fleeting dive into Journey Montana’s debut album In & Out proves that statement rather prescient — but it’s not just her soaring and euphonious trill that makes her music so affecting. Though the layering of her many vocal leaps and enchanting coos only adds to the beatific melodies that often radiate around her openhearted lyricism. Her latest single “212” is perhaps her most personal track yet, as it unfolds as one long introspection by the artist about life, love, and the way both can be viewed through a locational lens.

“‘212’ was written as a representation of my homecoming back to Harlem, NY,” she explained. “Moving back home from Atlanta was a lot, but Harlem is and always will be my home. As I’m introducing myself to the world, this is something everyone must know as they really get to know me. My first steps, my first kiss, my first song was all in Harlem. No matter where I am in the world, ‘212 is what I’m made from’ and I hope no one ever forgets it.”

Against a somber guitar line, Journey Montana grounds herself in the memory of her hometown. She faces a variety of relatable fears, from self-doubt and worries about getting older to toxic exes who just can’t let go. Yet through it all the one foundation that can’t be torn away is her profound appreciation and connection with Harlem itself. With its environs, people, and most of all the memories that get conjured up by it. “This shit will eat you alive / Gotta remember where you came from,” she reminds herself. “212 is what I’m made from.”

The new single also comes with a music video that celebrates the city of Harlem, highlighting all the elements that Journey Montana associates with the place. “Luxury / Jubilee / Ecstasy,” she chants on the track. Each one represents a different element of the city she adores. From the nail and hair salons to the gatherings of friends and family she finds jubilee at. As well as her own taste for luxury — like the gold hoops that have her name inscribed in them — and the ecstasy of being given the chance to perform her music.