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
Universe
Jay Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And always looked to make you live.
And no one would even had to ask,
If we were more than friends.
You were my everything now,
When I said I put that ring on.
When I write songs and sing for, yeah.
And all the seasons change,
One thing Will still remain.
Oh, you know it's true.
You're just as beautiful to me, baby.
You're still my universe lady, oh.
And you can ask me 1000 times it doesn't change.
You're still the universe to me
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
You are.
I ain't gonna lie and say I don't, float Occasionally.
And every now and then we might flip out,
But ain't love supposed to be, imperfect,
But worth it and God knows,
We've earned it.
You're pretty much all I know.
And I, I won't forget those days
And all the seasons change,
One thing will still remain.
Oh, you should know it's true.
You're just as beautiful to me, baby.
You're still my universe lady, oh.
And you can ask me 1000 times it doesn't change.
You're still the universe to me.
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
And I might forget to watch the sky, at night.
That don't mean those stars don't shine, bright.
You should know that I still see the things in you,
That I found you before, when our love was still brand new.
You're just as beautiful to me, baby.
You're still my universe lady, oh.
And you can ask me 1000 times it doesn't change
You're still the universe to me
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
You are
In Jay Sean's song Universe, he sings about the lasting love he has for his significant other. The song opens with a recognition of how exceptional his partner is in everything she does. He goes on to reflect on the early days of their relationship, and how putting a ring on her finger was a defining moment for their love. He acknowledges that their relationship, like any other, is imperfect, but it's worth fighting for because it's all he knows. Jay Sean concludes by saying that, despite everything, his partner is still his universe lady and nothing can change that.
The song is an ode to enduring love. Jay Sean is acknowledging that, over time, things change, but one thing that remains constant is his affection for his partner. The lyrics "And all the seasons change, one thing will still remain" indicate that he's seen changes in his partner over time, but despite all of that, she is still the same person he fell in love with.
A great aspect of this song is its simplicity. Jay Sean's lyrics are straightforward, and the melody follows a simple chord progression. He repeats certain lines throughout the song, particularly the chorus, to emphasize his unwavering love for his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
You always were the brightest girl in class,
You've always been brilliant and ahead of the pack.
And always looked to make you live.
You've always identified ways to make your life better.
And no one would even had to ask,
It was evident that there was a deeper connection between us.
If we were more than friends.
If we were romantically involved.
You were my everything now,
At this present moment, you mean so much to me.
When I said I put that ring on.
When I proposed marriage to you.
When I write songs and sing for, yeah.
When I create music and perform for you.
And I, I won't forget those days.
I'll always remember those times we spent together.
And all the seasons change,
Despite the changing of time and situations,
One thing Will still remain.
Our love will persist.
Oh, you know it's true.
It may seem cliche, but it's the truth.
You're just as beautiful to me, baby.
You're just as stunning now as when we first met.
You're still my universe lady, oh.
You're still the center of my world.
And you can ask me 1000 times it doesn't change.
No matter how many times you ask, my feelings won't change.
You're still the universe to me
You still hold immense significance and importance to me.
I ain't gonna lie and say I don't, float Occasionally.
I won't deny that I sometimes have doubts.
And every now and then we might flip out,
We might get into arguments or disagreements from time to time.
But ain't love supposed to be, imperfect,
Love isn't always perfect and takes effort.
But worth it and God knows,
But despite its imperfections, it's worth it.
We've earned it.
Our love was built on experience and hard work.
You're pretty much all I know.
You've become a big part of my life and who I am.
And I might forget to watch the sky, at night.
I might get distracted by life and lose sight of the beauty around me.
That don't mean those stars don't shine, bright.
But that doesn't mean that the things I loved about you before are any less vibrant.
You should know that I still see the things in you,
You should know that I still appreciate and admire you.
That I found you before, when our love was still brand new.
That I fell in love with you when everything was fresh and exciting.
Na na na na na na na
N/A
Na na na na na na na
N/A
You are.
You're everything to me.
Contributed by Isaiah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aiden Winter
This is imo one of Jay Sean’s most underrated songs. Somehow it’s not on the UK Spotify.
Corn
I've been searching for this song. Why is it not on Spotify? 😢 It's so good
Aiden Winter
I looked, it’s on Apple Music