Emerging from the English-Indian underground, Sean's first album featured political content as well as emotional songwriting baring his personal insecurities and struggles, all of it drawing influence from the traditional pop music of India (such as Bhangra). Released 8 November 2004 in the U.K., January 2005 in Malaysia, and February 2005 in India on 2Point9 Records, Relentless Records, and Virgin Records, 'Me Against Myself' achieved highly supportive critical reviews, with Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music praising Sean's work as "an album of phenomenally accomplished R&B". His release was certified as multi-platinum in his native India and gold in the U.K. His three singles (composed with help from Sean's mentor Rishi Rich) also met with British chart success: "Dance With You" (#12), "Eyes On You" (#6), and "Stolen" (#4).
Sean's touring, as well as the success of his singles in clubs, led Tareck Ghoneim of Contactmusic.com to call Sean an "Asian sensation". Still, he had his eyes on breaking into the U.S. while also keeping his stride with the U.K. charts, and he wanted as well to incorporate more of a slick pop sound to his coming work. His sophomore release, 'My Own Way', featured him on the cover looking as dapper in his light brown suit as a master of business. Released 12 May 2008 on Jayded Records and 2Point9 Records, the work suffered from various leaks and also received some mixed reviews from critics.
Nonetheless, the album became commercially successful in the U.K., reaching #6 on the U.K. Albums Chart and #1 on the UK R&B Chart. It eventually became certified platinum. Lead single "Ride It" also garnered major airplay throughout Europe, featuring Sean remarking about "all about the games people play across the dance-floor on a night out". Momentum building, his third studio album, 'All or Nothing', came out 23 November 2009 with strong promotion in the U.S.
International top 40 singles "Down" and "Do You Remember" cemented Sean's status as a global superstar. With massive tours leading him from TV show to stadium across countries, "Down" (also known as "Down (Feat. Lil' Wayne)" and other titles due to Lil' Wayne's presence) in particular hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming later known as one of the iconic singles of 2009 in American memory. Other nation's listeners also gave his singles strong airplay.
The first official single from Jay Sean's fourth studio album, titled 'Worth It All', was "I'm All Yours", which he sent for airplay on April 18, 2012. The song featured rapper and entertainer Pitbull. Although not quite achiving as much success as he had hoped in the U.S., it became a major international hit, reaching the top 40 in both Germany and New Zealand, and it ended up being mutli-platinum certified in Australia.
When it comes to the business of being a singer there are artists, there are stars and there are phenomenons. Jay Sean is all of the above. The proof is in the press, the sales, the fans and above all, the music.
ALL OR NOTHING is both Jay Sean's first American release and first for Cash Money/Universal Republic Records. But while it's his debut over here, the 29-year-old Pop/R&B singer/songwriter/producer has been a major sensation and multi-platinum artist over there since 2004; releasing two smash albums, scoring two top ten singles, nominated for Britain's heralded MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award twice and building a worldwide, fervid fan-base that stretches from Russia to Australia to NYC.
In some ways ALL OR NOTHING is the best of both worlds. Featuring sizzling, brand new tracks like the lead off single "Down" (featuring label mate Lil' Wayne), ALL OR NOTHING also includes some of the songs that helped Jay Sean blow up around the rest of the world.
One of those songs is "Ride It" written "strictly on a vibe," built on a hypnotic, sinewy track, and delivered with Jay Sean's slick vocals. The video for "Ride It" clocked an astonishing 12 million hits on You Tube (20+ million hits across all online video channels) and captivated fans everywhere; including Cash/Money Records CEO and co-founder, Ronald "Slim" Williams who was turned on to Jay Sean's music by one of the singer's producers. Slim liked what he heard and proved it by making Jay Sean the first UK artist to join the Cash/Money family.
The match up of Nawlins swagger and UK Pop/R&B drives ALL OR NOTHING's first single "Down" ft/ Cash/Money soldier Lil' Wayne. Already taking radio by storm, "Down" resulted from a conversation that began about what's wrong in the world, and blossomed into a celebration of everything that's right - namely love.
Offers Jay Sean, "I'm a very positive, optimistic person and thought let me write a song about the idea that if you've got someone special in your life then nothing else really matters how you need to appreciate the little things. The title is a play on the word 'down.' That's why Lil' Wayne says, 'Are you down like the economy.' It's a fun, very easy track something to pump in your car."
Another mid tempo breeze born out of real life is "War." The message? "To battle with anybody, whether it's your girl, family or another country never solved anything," explains Jay Sean.
It is that mix of introspection and keenly crafted Pop/R&B songs that has brought Jay Sean from where he was to where he is.
Born and raised in London, England and of Indian/Punjabi heritage, Jay Sean started rapping at 12 and credits rap with helping him structure, produce and write songs. Inspired by R&B stars Jodeci, Brian McKnight, Joe, and Musiq Soulchild, Jay Sean started singing hooks and then stepped it up.
Amazingly, at the same time he was exploring his artistic side, Jay Sean was at med school; surely a steadier profession than "pop-star." Luckily Jay Sean's parents had his back.
"It wasn't as though they suddenly went 'you sing?' Jay Sean laughs. "They knew there might be a strong possibility I'd do music. They told me, 'The same way you apply yourself to your studies you have to work hard doing music.' That's always stayed with me."
Jay Sean's songs caught the attention of a producer putting together a groundbreaking project fusing traditional Punjabi music and contemporary Pop/R&B. As soon as the single dropped, Jay Sean became the face and voice of a new generation.
"It was so interesting that the kids who love listening to Pop/R&B and traditional Indian music said, 'What the hell is this, it's brand new.'"
Along with galvanizing a heretofore, untapped demographic, Jay Sean caught the ears of the industry, because as he explains, "The English labels knew I had this huge following.
His solo debut ME AGAINST MYSELF dropped in 2004 and exploded on the Internet. Jay Sean toured through Europe, South East Asia, as well as spot dates in the US. He even performed, with Akon, at the Ruler of Dubai's daughter's sweet sixteen. In India, this album outsold Jay-Z, Britney Spears and Madonna.
"I have a heavy fan-base in many countries including India. I'm in a minority culture but in many countries, there's still Indians there and they all knew me," says Jay Sean.
After dealing with creative issues and the desire to change his musical direction to straight-forward Pop/R&B, Jay Sean made the decision in 2008 to go for self.
"I realized I had a global fan base so why not make the music myself?"
Those instincts paid off and then some when MY OWN WAY, his first release on his own label, Jayded Records, out sold and then some Jay Sean's prior effort. The album peaked at #6 on the UK album chart.
All of which brings Jay Sean to ALL OR NOTHING and a future that is just beginning.
Speaking with a refreshing mix of humility and confidence, Jay Sean says, "I've got a different up-bringing and take on a music that you guys make so well and would like to think that I'm a fresh new face and voice. Hopefully American audiences will like it. People always like a change. That's what I have to offer."
See: www.jaysean.com
Lights Off
Jay Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's you that I'm missing
It's like my brain is wired up
And there's a glitch in my system
You're like a drug and now my blood won't stop itching
I'm in critical condition
Someone let me out of this prison
It's like my mind is playing tricks on me lately (lately)
I could of sworn that you are still my baby (baby)
I'm on a merry-go-round
Going around, driving me crazy
That's why it feels like
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Won't somebody, anybody
Please just turn the lights on
I won't take one step
I can't see what's coming next
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Can't see at all (at all, at all, at all)
Can't see at all (no, oh no)
Can't see at all (at all)
Cause it's like somebody just turned all the lights off
I don't understand how one minute I just had it all
Now I can't reach you cause I'm tied up with this straight jacket on
I can't breathe (breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe)
I can't see (see, see, see, see, see, see, see)
It's like my mind is playing tricks on me lately (lately)
I could of sworn that you are still my baby (baby)
I'm on a merry-go-round
Going around, driving me crazy
That's why it feels like
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Won't somebody, anybody
Please just turn the lights on
I won't take one step
I can't see what's coming next
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Can't see at all (at all, at all, at all)
Can't see at all (no, oh no)
Can't see at all (at all)
Cause it's like somebody just turned all the lights off
Used to see my world in color girl
When you left me it's like my world turned gray
Turn my winter into summer girl
Why won't you help me turn night to day
I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't think at all
Honestly it feels like I ain't living no more
Can't say no more, can't see no more
Baby that's why it feels like
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Won't somebody, anybody
Please just turn the lights on
I won't take one step
I can't see what's coming next
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Can't see at all (at all, at all, at all)
Can't see at all (no, oh no)
Can't see at all (at all)
Cause it's like somebody just turned all the lights off
The song "Lights Off" by Jay Sean is a heart-wrenching ballad about the pain of losing a loved one. The lyrics convey the deep emotional turmoil of the singer, who is consumed by the absence of their significant other. The opening lines, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, it's you that I'm missing," express the overwhelming feelings of loneliness and despair. The singer feels trapped in their own mind, which is torturing them with thoughts of their lost love. They describe this as a "glitch in my system" that is leaving them in a state of "critical condition."
The chorus of the song is particularly poignant as the singer compares losing their love to having "all the lights turned off." This metaphor effectively conveys the sense of darkness and hopelessness that they are experiencing. The repetition of the line "can't see at all" reinforces the idea of being lost and disorientated in a world without their loved one. The bridge of the song changes the perspective to that of the lost love. They plead for the return of their world in colour and for their life to return to some sense of normalcy.
Overall, "Lights Off" is a powerful and affecting song that captures the pain of losing someone you love. The lyrics are masterfully written, conveying complex emotions with simple, relatable words. The song's melody and rhythm are also deeply moving and add to the overall impact of the piece.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired
I am exhausted of constantly feeling unwell and fatigued.
It's you that I'm missing
I am feeling incomplete and dissatisfied without you in my life.
It's like my brain is wired up
And there's a glitch in my system
I am experiencing mental confusion and disorientation, like something is not working correctly in my mind.
You're like a drug and now my blood won't stop itching
I'm in critical condition
Someone let me out of this prison
You have become an addiction to me, and I am struggling to cope without you. I feel trapped and need to escape.
It's like my mind is playing tricks on me lately (lately)
I could of sworn that you are still my baby (baby)
I am experiencing hallucinations and delusions, and I cannot accept that you are no longer with me.
I'm on a merry-go-round
Going around, driving me crazy
I feel stuck in a repetitive and frustrating cycle, unable to break free from my thoughts and emotions.
That's why it feels like
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Won't somebody, anybody
Please just turn the lights on
I won't take one step
I can't see what's coming next
Losing you is like somebody just turned all the lights off
Can't see at all (at all, at all, at all)
Can't see at all (no, oh no)
Can't see at all (at all)
Cause it's like somebody just turned all the lights off
Losing you has made me feel blind and unable to navigate life. I feel lost and in the dark, and I am desperately seeking someone to guide me.
I don't understand how one minute I just had it all
Now I can't reach you cause I'm tied up with this straight jacket on
I can't breathe (breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe)
I can't see (see, see, see, see, see, see, see)
I cannot comprehend how quickly my life has changed, and now I feel restrained and suffocated by my emotions. I am struggling to function or even see reality clearly.
Used to see my world in color girl
When you left me it's like my world turned gray
Turn my winter into summer girl
Why won't you help me turn night to day
I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't think at all
Honestly it feels like I ain't living no more
Can't say no more, can't see no more
You brought so much light and vibrancy to my life, and without you, everything feels dull and lifeless. I am unable to complete basic tasks or enjoy any aspects of life. I am barely existing, let alone living.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JAY SEAN, JEREMY SKALLER, KEVIN RUDOLF, ROBERT W LAROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind