Summer arrives early in the form of LA multi-hyphenate Maesu’s “Protection (Call 444),” a bouncy ode to self-worth and preservation. Complete with a self-assuring interlude that appears towards the end of the track, the newest single from Maesu’s upcoming project embodies celebration in its purest form. “Protection (Call 444)” feels like a shot of endorphins, a jolt to the system. “I need some distance from you / I’ll be your lesson,” he serenades on the chorus, luring listeners further into his transfixing sound. “I wrote (“Protection”) to be as hypnotic as possible,” Maesu comments. “If I can trance people into protecting themselves in this emotionally treacherous world, I’ve won.” His genuine motives emerge organically, in large part due to his amalgam of genres. Cited by Maesu and just as explicitly heard in his music are the sounds of pop, R&B, afropop, and rock. “Protection (Call 444)” arrives while Maesu is on a steep upward trajectory in his career, continuing to expound on his talent and lengthen his bounds. The summer playlist must-have strategically masks affirming lyricism with distractingly enchanting rhythms sure to resonate with any set of ears.

Throughout his rise, Maesu has developed a delicate interplay between achieving mass appeal and remaining individualistic in his creativity. His talent has turned up on recent collaborations with Amaarae, Kari Faux, and Ludiwg Göransson, the latter of which resulted in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever featured track “A Body, A Coffin.” Currently, Maesu is supporting fellow LA musician ¿Téo? on a US Tour that will wrap on March 29th. He will roll that momentum into the release of his new project JamPak Spring ‘23, scheduled for release on April 11th. Curiously taking inspiration from PlayStation’s variety demo packs and “Now Music” compilations, the music encapsulated in the project is sure to project Maesu further into music’s upper class. 

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