Confronting code switching and social performance – the Oakland artist discards the masks on new album. 

You could say Elujay is naked on new album, A Constant Charade. He’s one of music’s most sharply-dressed emergent stars, and most effortless aesthete if his videos (see below) and album artworks are anything to go by. But he can’t compare the spirit of A Constant Charade to a sartorial ensemble – because if he did, it would be the lack of one at all. “The idea is you get to see the album for what it is,” he tells Man About Town.“Raw, vulnerable, and real.” 

For the Oakland artist and producer, whose supremely crafted brand of R&B threads together everything from yacht rock to sophisti-pop, dancehall, and Lovers Rock, the record sees him discard the masks he dons in everyday life. The cyclical nature of the code-switching and myriad forms of social performance he flits between are confronted head-on in “Circles”,  a track with a delicious groove-laden spring in its step befitting only the clarity that comes when the pressure lifts. “Hyundai” is an ode to the lifeblood nourishment of individuals who serve as pillars in our lives – it’s indulgently soulful, reaching melodic bliss at multiple junctures. And then there’s “Anjeli” in which he enlists serpentwithfeet – a gossamer ballad where the nimble flight of the Baltimore-hailing maestro coalesces with an Elujay at his most tender. 

Recorded over three years, in and around his other standout achievement of 2025 – GEMS IN THE CORNERSTORE II, his latest collaborative album with artist/producer J. Robb – Elujay rounds out the year as an artist operating in the frill-less power of unbridled authenticity. 

Hey Elujay! Massive congrats on A Constant Charade. You’re on the cusp of release week – can you sum up what’sgoing through your mind as you prepare to share the record with the world? 

I’m a little nervous, but overall, I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on for two years.

The first track on the album is “Rogue Heart”, and it was also the lead single. Tell us about the decision to put that song front and centre of the campaign? 

The first track, “Rogue Heart”, felt like the centrepiece of the album. The production is like none other I’ve ever attempted. It was sort of a statement song that showcased my experimentation. The lyrics were very resonant of how I felt throughout 2024, and I felt like they represented the themes of the album!

We last heard from you over a year ago on your collaboration album GEMS IN THE CORNERSTORE II alongside J.Robb, as JEMS!. What has life had in store for you since? 

Since the last JEMS! release, I have been touring a bunch, just got off a tour with Cautious Clay, and I’ve just been focusing on making music and staying healthy – hiking, swimming, being a dog dad, and looking after my loved ones. I love living a simple life outside of music.

Can you tell us about the set-up for recording A Constant Charade — where were you? Who was in the room? What time of day were you making it?

I was making this album in my studio at home and various friends’ studios at all hours of the day when inspiration did or didn’t hit. For instance, we made “Chabot Hill” at an all-analogue studio in 2023, and it was recorded to tape, which was super next level. I was making “A Constant Charade” while making the JEMS! album. Songs like “BREANA” and“STORMBLUS” were supposed to be on A Constant Charade. I just made music to make music and decided at the end of the process to compartmentalise it all.

A Constant Charade sees you make your solo debut on the indie label drink sum wtr. Can you tell us about why that platform feels like the right chosen home for your artistry right now?

I feel like drink sum wtr understands the plight of artists, especially nowadays, and they make sure they give us what we need to succeed. They don’t interfere in the creative process, and they just support the art. That is rare nowadays. Art-forward labels are dead, and DSW is reviving the concept. I appreciate them to the fullest. Everyone I work with on the label side just wants to see me win.

Your work amalgamates a number of genres – R&B, yacht rock, sophisti-pop, dancehall, Lovers rock. If you had to brief newcomers on what to expect from the Elujay world – in one sentence – what would you say? 

Elujay is Black futurism with a tinge of the past, awakening the spirit and soul.

Take us back to the day you landed on the album’s title – A Constant Charade? 

I write almost every day, and on one fateful morning, I was writing about what felt like this need to constantly perform for people and the exhaustion I felt around it. The title represented some of my anxiety with how I handle social interactions, from masking to code-switching. I wanted to make something that was vulnerable and represented this feeling I got from over-performing in social settings.

What’s a charade in life that’s become second nature to you? What’s a charade you’ve successfully given up performing for others? 

A charade that’s become second nature for me is being able to pretend that I’m not anxious when I’m around people. A charade I’ve given up is not being real about my feelings towards others.