AOTW: FORWARD

But deep down, I got a good feelin’.

Before the release of his album and his entry as an R&B artist, Jordan Alexander Ward toured as a backup dancer for artists like Beyonce and Justin Bieber. His experience in dancing helped him gain an understanding of the style, rhythm, and fluidity he wanted to put into his music. In March 2021, Jordan’s first studio session with producer Lido kickstarted the project. Their first song dropped was 311, a testament to the date of their first session together (March 11). On March 3, 2023, Jordan Ward dropped his album FORWARD. The album was crafted as a symbol to pushing sound and personal evolution (FORWARD) while dedicating the album to his family (FOR WARD).  

Lido eventually became the executive producer of the entire album. Jordan even shouts him out in the song White Crocs by saying “just let it play Lido!” Before the song starts. Jordan intended to create a world with the album, creating physical handbooks filled with drawings, colour pallets and references that helped map out the landscape Jordan envisioned.  

With the success of his album, Jordan Ward dropped a deluxe on August 25, titled “Moreward.” The deluxe contained favourites from studio recording sessions that found more life only after the album process. Ward states that these songs did not make the final cut of FORWARD but were too good to leave in the archives.  

Overall, the story behind this album was very intentional, not just a random assortment of beats, but a method for Jordan Ward (with the help of Lido) to step out from the shadow of backup dancing to a vocal, creative artist.  
9/10