Coco Jones is passionate about claiming her freedom of artistic expression. Her new single “Body So Tea” is not only a confidence-boosting earworm but also another stride away from the box many want her to remain in.
Lyrically, the Stargate, Jasper Harris and Hidde Ament production is all about loving herself from the inside out while remaining true to her vision. “I don’t chase nothin’, I attract, I set intention / I don’t need no permission / I don’t need your acceptance,” she sings in the first verse, before chanting the catchy mantra, “Body so tea, hair, nails done, skin glowin’.”
Ahead of releasing the track, Jones spilled the tea on her innermost thoughts concerning her artistry. In late June, she posted a video diary in which she candidly spoke about not having her sound completely figured out yet, despite her talents.
“I never came into this game knowing exactly, like, what I do. I knew I could sing my ass off; that was pretty clear and that was pretty much the only consistent — but I didn’t really have a ‘thing.’ Personality? Sure. Relatable, I guess? I don’t know. Anyway, I think it’s biting me in the ass right now.”
She continued, “With this album, I feel like the reception that I’m getting in the world is confusion. Obviously, I get that because in the inner world it’s confusion. Not specifically about what I stand for, what I’m trying to talk about and things of that nature. But really more like… how is it supposed to sound? What is the sound?”
In the video caption, she added, “I’ve spent a lot of time chasing what I thought I was supposed to sound like, look like, or be. And honestly, it’s been the ghettoooo feeling like I’m always almost ‘there’ but never quite ‘there.’ I’m still figuring it out. And instead of waiting until I have all the answers, I want to let y’all in to the process.”
On July 9, Jones posted another clip of her at an in-studio meeting with her team, including Def Jam president and CEO Tunji Balogun. In the video, Balogun shared an encouraging message to Jones: “People aren’t going to love every song down to the ground — and that’s OK.” He continued, “But it’s important that you show all the different aspects of who you are, whether people f**k with it or not.”
The discussion was about “Body So Tea,” which shifts away from her known balladry into something more melodic and playful. Even though Jones is letting everyone into her thought process this go around, this isn’t a new revelation. Look no further than her debut album, Why Not More? “This album is about leaning into whoever you are right now without worrying about who you’ve been or who you want to be in the future,” she said. “Authenticity will never lead you to the wrong place, so why not lean in?”
Why Not More? included vocal moments like the Lenny Williams-sampled “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” and the emotional ballad “Other Side Of Love.” But it also contained songs such as “Taste,” which sampled Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” and the lovers rock-flavored title track, featuring YG Marley, indicating that her idea of R&B isn’t limited to one particular sector of the genre. Jones understands that R&B is expansive and wants to give herself the space to explore the various flavors of rhythm that can be coupled with her resonant voice.
Before she launched the campaign for her debut album, the Grammy winner told Rated R&B in 2024 that making her debut EP, What I Didn’t Tell You, ignited something in her for her album. “The EP made me want to explore different sounds [and] different genres, seeing how I could mix them,” she said. “I felt like a scientist whose one experiment did really well, and it’s like, ‘Oh damn, OK.’ Now I’m getting all mad creative, just trying a bunch of different things because I’m like, ‘That was good. Let’s see what else I can do.’”
Jones’ desire to experiment with her sound while receiving slight pushback from some listeners and critics is nothing new. Many artists have experienced that catch-22. If they remain in their box, they’re sometimes criticized for “making the same song” and not showcasing growth. And if they decide to switch it up, they’re sometimes ostracized for abandoning their core. But, as Balogun said above: “People aren’t going to love every song down to the ground — and that’s OK.”
“Body So Tea” arrives after Shae Jacobs-produced “Luvagirl,” released in March, following her appearance at the Super Bowl LX pregame show, where she performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” In other news, Jones co-stars in the psychological thrillerStrung, alongside Chloe Bailey and Lynn Whitfield, streaming now on Peacock. She’s also set to star in the upcoming romantic comedyThat’s Heropposite Kountry Wayne.
Stream Coco Jones’ “Body So Tea” below.
