Jesse Royal ADD

Protoje Announces New Album... Third Time's The Charm

09/08/2022 by Press Release

Protoje, the GRAMMY-nominated musician, who is also a record label chief and one of Jamaica’s key figures in today’s musical landscape, will return with Third Time’s The Charm on September 23, 2022 (pre-order here). His U.S. tour entitled Lost In Time, with support from Jesse Royal and Lila Iké, will kick off tomorrow in anticipation of his sixth studio release. Today, he unleashes Late at Night  feat. Lila Iké, a layered gem of Protoje’s diverse palette of influences. 

Protoje intricately weaves 1970s American soul and 1980s Jamaican lovers rock into a modern day masterpiece on Late at Night. The song’s rhythmic framework samples Late at Nights recorded by Jamaica’s iconic songstress Pam Hall and reggae architect Gussie Clark. The updated version with Lila Iké’s warming vocals adds deeper sentiment of social commentary on the original that was sung by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics and Detroit's R&B vocal trio The Jones Girls. Cadenza, the UK’s heavyweight DJ & beatsmith, co–produced Late at Night with Protoje. 

Protoje states “I’ve been searching for an instrumental that epitomizes hard core reggae. It feels like how Welcome To Jamrock by Damian Marley felt when I first heard it, and Lila’s voice adds this eerie and haunting element to an already dark and grimy riddim.” Late At Night is the fourth single from his eagerly-awaited LP, following “Family” feat. Jesse Royal, Incient Stepping and Hills.

The concept of time holds a special meaning for Protoje. His latest chapter, Third Time’s The Charm, adds to the trilogy of albums he’s dropped since his GRAMMY nomination for A Matter of Time (2018). Protoje’s journey as a man, a father, and as an entrepreneur in the music industry is crystalized on the artist’s new 10-track opus. Released in partnership with Protoje’s label In.Digg.Nation Collective and RCA Records, the album follows In Search of Lost Time (2020), which planted a new flag for Protoje and his network of homegrown Jamaican talent he’s helped develop over the past two years. Long at last, Third Time’s The Charm is a bookend to an era that began with the 2020 pandemic. 

“Third Time's The Charm concludes this trilogy of albums that directly focus on my study of time and how important it is to make sure what you’re doing is fulfilling you in every way. Sonically it’s a bit more reggae than my last, even though reggae is always the root, I had some fun implementing all the sounds I’ve grown to love,” says the singer.

Recorded primarily at Protoje’s studio The Habitat, located in the hills of Kingston, Jamaica, the tight-knit set features an array of the island’s musical visionaries including  featured vocalists like Samory I, Lila Iké and Jesse Royal, and producers like Iotosh, Ziah.Push and Zion I Kings (which consists of Laurent “Tippy I” Alfred, Romaine “Teflonzincfence” Arnett and David “JAH David” Goldfine). He also tapped the soulful British singer Jorja Smith on Ten Cane Row. Protoje carries a deep affinity and vast understanding of multiple genres: from ska, to lover’s rock to reggae, he  intrinsically channels his native island’s rich musical stylings stretching over a half century, while mixing hip-hop, trap dance and soul into a colorful unconventional style of his own. 

TRACKLIST: Protoje – Third Time’s The Charm 
01. The Charm
02. Hills
03. Family feat. Jesse Royal
04. Incient Stepping
05. Dreamy Eyes
06. Ten Cane Row feat. Jorja Smith
07. Late at Night feat. Lila Iké
08. Love For Me
09. Here Comes The Morning
10. Heavy Load feat. Samory-I


LOST IN TIME US-Tour with Lila Iké & Jesse Royal:
Sep-09 in Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade 
Sep-10 in Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station 
Sep-11 in Norfolk, VA @ Norva 
Sep-13 in New York, NY @ Webster Hall 
Sep-15 in Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer 
Sep-16 in Washington, DC @ Fillmore 
Sep-17 in Boston, MA @ House of Blues 
Sep-18 in Winooski, VT @ Higher Ground 
Sep-21 in Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue 
Sep-22 in Chicago, IL @ Concord 
Sep-23 in Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck 
Sep-25 in Denver, CO @ Cervantes 
Sep-27 in Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell 
Sep-29 in Arcata, CA @ Arcata Theatre Lounge 
Sept-30 in Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse 
Oct-01 in Ventura, CA @ Ventura Music Hall 
Oct-03 in Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades 
Oct-04 in Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre 
Oct-05 in Los Angeles, CA @ Novo
Oct-07 in San Diego, CA @ Beach House 
Oct-08 in Las Vegas, NV @ Reggae Rise Up (no Lila Iké & Jesse Royal)