Johan Lenox is continuing to make waves as an artist. Following up on the classical producer turned genre bending solo artist’s November release of “You Up?” featuring Ant Clemons (you can read the article for more backstory on the track and Johan’s journey here) is the melodic, melancholy “No One Gets Me” featuring RMR.

The release marks the second single off of Lenox’s forthcoming album, WDYWTBWYGU (What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up). It continues building the strong narrative that he is exploring throughout the album, with visuals playing an important factor across both singles. Ahead of the release, Lenox posted three video clips on Instagram of him and RMR sitting and talking together.

‍The first features Lenox reflecting on how the world is moving fast around him while he continues to stray away from the “normal” path of life. RMR, who is known for constantly donning a mask in any public setting, helps Lenox reach the conclusion that they are both wearing a mask, literally or figuratively, that allows them to stray away from normalcy. The second clip sees Lenox reminisce about his past and remain reluctant to move past due to the pandemic. RMR concludes that the way Lenox evolves and grows as a person will have the biggest impact on what the world becomes, not how he operates in it. In the final video, Johan puts on a RMR-esque mask, tying together the ideas from the first two clips.

“No One Gets Me” also comes with a music video. Speaking on the video, Lenox said,  “Most of my upcoming album focuses on figuring out how to grow up during this chaotic time in America, but No One Gets Me is about how I’m not sure I even want to try to reach those traditional milestones of adulthood. The music video focuses on various life events in reverse order: death, retirement, buying a house, marriage, and shows me watching them at a distance, not wanting my life to just be going through those motions, and longing for someone who feels the same as me. In the video it seems like I have found it in this woman beside me but in the end it was all in my mind.”

The track advances this theme of breaking the normal cycle of life. Lenox struggles to find someone who possesses the same vision as him, and when the one person did leaves his life, he is forced to confront his loneliness, singing, “They’re all gonna forget me / When I’m still being messy / They all wanna press me / But no one really gets me.” RMR advances these ideas, cementing that it is important to believe in yourself and follow the path you want to take, no matter how difficult that road may be. 

The instrumental is nothing short of spectacular throughout the track. Lenox takes the first half of the song, showing off his vocal range over a composition of orchestral sounds and classic hip hop elements. RMR emerges for the second half at the cusp of an emphatic beat change, transitioning from the complex sounds into a soothing piano riff. His versatile voice shines, utilizing it in various formats. 

Keep an eye out for Johan Lenox’s album, releasing soon, and listen to the newest single below:

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