Artist Spotlight: Jordan Xidas

College years can be rough. As a college student myself, each semester becomes more and more challenging to balance all aspects of life with coursework (including things like POParazzi — sorry for the recent period with no posts. Another apology to the literal thousands of submission e-mails that have been unread in my inbox. *single tear rolls down my face*). That’s why I could immediately relate when learning about upcoming pop artists Jordan Xidas’ last two years.

“In the past two years, I went to college, came out, dropped out, and started making music with my older brother Niko,” Xidas said. Not a semester has gone by that I haven’t thought about dropping out to make music, but I sadly don’t have a brother named Niko.

Luckily for Jodan, he and Niko have been able to come up with some pretty compelling music. “The songs are a reflection and product of the two most liberating years of my life,” Xidas said. The handful of singles that have been released show a diverse and ever evolving artist. Listening to them in a chronological order shows how seriously Xidas takes his craft; vocals and production both get stronger and more polished with time.

‘Crush,’ a 2017 release from when Xidas was still at college, is a bubbly and radio-friendly track about confessing feelings to your crush. Lyrics are clever paired with the toe-tapping beat, and while it’s a fantastically enjoyable track, it pales in comparison to his more recent work.

‘Don’t Stop’ followed as the first of Xidas’ liberation music. There’s a subtlety and coolness to this track; it permeates that underground feeling of tracks that you’d hear in a coffee shop and Shazam, secretly listening to them on your morning commute.

Shortly after came ‘Down Together,’ a track showing a new side to Xidas and his music. A more stripped back and raw love song, this is an intimate track that lets you see an artist bearing their soul. A relaxed production lets Jordan’s vocals take the lead. This track is the definition of chill, and it’s a beautiful love song about sticking with your partner no matter what lies ahead.

Things go back to a dance-driven mainstream vibe with ‘TWILY’ (The Way I Love You.) It’s no surprise the song was featured on Spotify’s “Singled Out” and “Yepyeni” playlists, as well as New Music Friday Italia, Türkiye, Portugal, and Polska. Lyrics here get bolder and more explorative, with Xidas’ sultry voice being effective at setting the mood on the song’s chorus. This song was released a few days before Christmas last year, and there’s no doubt his fans enjoyed their early present.

Xidas’ most recent release, ‘Martyr’ saves the best for last. “We were walking on water, now we’re drowning in it,” Xidas croons. “The song expresses a long-held feeling of frustration with the way religion has perpetuated inherent shame in LGBTQ people,” Xidas explains. Without knowing the song’s message, ‘Martyr’ is an undoubtedly sultry track about connecting with your lover in new ways. “I’ll praise you like religion.”

‘Martyr’ is one of those rare tracks that you just know is one you’ll be listening to for ages as soon as it begins. From those opening lyrics, it went right into my ‘Loved Songs’ and has been on repeat since. The most exciting part about getting into Xidas’ music? The best is yet to come…Check back March 20th to listen to his upcoming single ‘Steam,’ an aptly titled steamy smash.

Connect with Jordan Xidas on his official website, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.