In a recent phone interview with Culture Buzz Hiphop, the 4x Grammy Winner surprised us all by doing something out of the ordinary. When asked about his interest in indie artists and any recommendations, he mentioned a track called “Sunrise” by an emerging artist named StaJe. Intrigued by the endorsement, we decided to delve into StaJe’s music—and boy, were we in for a treat!
Let’s dive into StaJe’s extraordinary background. In 2018, he found himself in a dire situation, homeless and residing on Los Angeles’ notorious skid row. However, fate intervened when, six months later, a college friend stumbled upon him in the bustling streets of downtown LA. Showing immense kindness, the friend offered StaJe a place to stay in his modest downtown apartment. Reflecting on those tough times in a recent billboard interview, StaJe confessed, “It might not have been much, but it was heaven compared to living on the streets.”
Not long after, StaJe managed to secure a job at Mercedes-Benz, quickly improving his financial situation. He embarked on his musical journey as a rapper with the group Gvng Green, signing with Fam Entertainment. A year later, he made waves with his debut single, “Keisha,” which soared to the Top 50 DRT Charts. Building on this success, he dropped his breakout hit, “UP,” in 2021, capturing a spot in the Top 10 on the iTunes Charts. The following year, StaJe inked a distribution deal with Sony Orchard, releasing his single “Daddy” under the Sony banner. The track earned significant radio play on The Breakfast Club in NY and sparked a wildfire of popularity across the Southeastern United States. As 2022 drew to a close, StaJe unleashed his biggest hit to date, “Oceano.” This Latin-infused anthem marked his first appearance on the Billboard Charts, securing an impressive #17 position on the Digital Sales Charts and soaring to #1 on the iTunes World Charts.
Fast forward to the present, StaJe has recently released his latest single, “Sunrise,” which is making significant waves on a global scale. The track achieved the remarkable feat of clinching the #1 spot on the iTunes Charts in South Africa and an impressive #24 on the US iTunes Charts. Furthermore, “Sunrise” reached the #2 position on the Amazon charts and claimed a spot in the Top 100 on the mediabase charts.
Upon immersing in StaJe’s discovery, we can confidently say that he is a genuine artist talent. Discovering an artist of his caliber feels akin to stumbling upon the early works of Tems before she soared to stardom. Unearthing such hidden gems is a rarity, often only made possible when an influential figure like Abel Tesfaye sheds light on their name.
Without a doubt, we wholeheartedly recommend checking out StaJe’s music. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
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