Trying Not to Think About It
| Trying Not to Think About It | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | 2021 | |||
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| Length | 32:56 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| JoJo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Trying Not To Think About It | ||||
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Trying Not to Think About It is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter JoJo. It was released on October 1, 2021, by Clover Music and Warner Records. It was JoJo's third release under her own label imprint Clover Music.
Following the release of her first Christmas album December Baby (2020), production began on the "time capsule project" at the start of 2021. JoJo wanted to make a record that encapsulated the feelings she experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it had on her personal life, career, and confidence as a performer. JoJo wrote and produced the album alongside Jordan XL, Noise Club, Dernst "D Mile" Emile II, Rob Grimaldi, Cardiak, Nikki Flores and various other collaborators. With the exception of "B.I.D.", JoJo co-wrote every song on the album.
To promote the album, JoJo embarked on the Trying Not to Think About It Tour which began the day after its release. The tour played for six dates across the United States. The album was further promoted through the 42-date world tour, JoJo Tour 2022, which began the following year. The album's lead single, "Worst (I Assume)", was released on August 20, 2021 and peaked at number 25 on the Adult R&B Airplay Chart. On the same day as the release of the album, "Anxiety (Burlinda's Theme)" was released its second single.
Upon its release, the album received generally favorable reviews from music critics. It was highlighted by several music publications in their year-end lists of the top R&B albums for 2021. Trying Not To Think About It failed to debut on the US Billboard 200, but did chart on the Top Album Sales chart at number 80, while also debuting at number 56 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.
Background and development
On October 30, 2020, JoJo released her fifth studio album December Baby, her first album of Christmas music. In January 2021, JoJo canceled her Good to Know tour after having previously rescheduled it twice due to the then-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that she was planning on having a new album released by 2022.[1] JoJo first announced Trying Not to Think About It project in a YouTube livestream on May 27, 2021. She labeled it as neither an album nor EP stating: "I really want it to exist in its own little moment, have it look a certain way, feel a certain way and sound a certain way".[2] JoJo described the release as a "time capsule" of how she felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said: "The pandemic made all of us come face to face not only with ourselves but with our coping mechanisms."[3]
Recording sessions for Trying Not to Think About It were generally conducted at Blackwood Studios in California with additional sessions in California's T4U Studios, Sphere Studios, Luuna's Room; Ameraycan Recording Studios and the Prescription Songs Nashville Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.[4]
Promotion
On August 16, 2021, JoJo announced the release of the album and its lead single "Worst (I Assume)".[5] JoJo also announced the six-date Trying Not to Think About It Tour in support of the album.[5][6] The album was further promoted through the 42-date world tour, JoJo Tour 2022, which began the following year.[7]
Singles
"Worst (I Assume)" was released as the lead single from the album on August 20, 2021.[5] The song was written by JoJo alongside Tiara Thomas, Carl McCormick and Kelvin Wooten and produced by Cardiak and Kelvin Wu10. The accompanying music video was shot in Downtown, Los Angeles with director Alfredo Flores and was shot in one take.[8] The song was written "from the protective mechanism that sometimes people have of bracing for the worst in a relationship, whether it's romantic, or professional, even though that might not be what ends up happening".[8] On the same day as the release of the album, JoJo released its second single, "Anxiety (Burlinda's Theme)", alongside a music video also directed by Flores.[9][10]
Tour
| Tour by JoJo | |
 Promotional poster for the tour | |
| Associated album | Trying Not to Think About It |
|---|---|
| Start date | October 2, 2021 |
| End date | October 11, 2021 |
| Legs | 1 |
| No. of shows | 6 in North America |
| JoJo concert chronology | |
JoJo announced on her Instagram that the Trying Not to Think About It Tour would commence immediately following the release of the album. The tour was a six-date run of intimate live shows that visited Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville, and Los Angeles. The show included the first live performances of songs from JoJo's fourth studio album Good to Know. General on sale tickets went on sale on Friday, August 20, 2021, at 10:00 am.[11][12] Tiara Thomas was announced as the opening act for all tour dates, but on October 2, it was announced that due to unforeseen circumstances Tiara Thomas would only appear at the Los Angeles show.[13][6][14]
Tour dates
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America[15][16] | |||
| October 2, 2021 | Boston | United States | Sinclair |
| October 4, 2021 | New York | Music Hall of Williamsburg | |
| October 5, 2021 | Philadelphia | Underground Arts | |
| October 7, 2021 | Atlanta | Terminal West | |
| October 9, 2021 | Nashville | Exit/In | |
| October 11, 2021 | Los Angeles | El Rey | |
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Pitchfork | 6.3/10[17] |
Dani Blum from Pitchfork provided a mixed review of Trying Not to Think About It, who called it her "rawest and most cohesive project to date", but also said that it "too often relies on familiar imagery".[17]
Year-end lists
| Publication | List | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Yardbarker[18] | The Best R&B Albums of 2021 | 10 |
| Vibe[19] | The 21 Best R&B Albums of 2021 | 5 |
| American Songwriter[20] | The 41 Best Albums of 2021 | 2 |
| Rated R&B[21] | 30 Best R&B Albums of 2021 | 16 |
Commercial performance
Trying Not to Think About It failed to debut on the US Billboard 200 but debuted on the Top Current Album Sales and Top Album Sales chart at number 51 and number 80 respectively.[22] The album also made its debut on the UK R&B Albums Chart at number 32.[23]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "World of Sunshine" (Intro) |
|
| 2:42 |
| 2. | "Anxiety (Burlinda's Theme)" |
|
| 4:05 |
| 3. | "Dissolve" |
| 3:31 | |
| 4. | "Good Enough" (Interlude) |
|
| 2:08 |
| 5. | "B.I.D." |
|
| 3:07 |
| 6. | "Feel Alright" |
|
| 2:56 |
| 7. | "Fresh New Sheets" |
|
| 4:59 |
| 8. | "Sugar & Carbs" (Interlude) |
|
| 0:21 |
| 9. | "Spiral SZN" |
|
| 2:48 |
| 10. | "Nikki's Sound Bath" (Interlude) |
|
| 0:48 |
| 11. | "Worst (I Assume)" |
|
| 3:08 |
| 12. | "Lift" |
| Caroline Baker | 2:23 |
| Total length: | 32:56 | |||
Personnel
Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes.[4]
Creativity
- Doug Krantz – packaging design
- Alfredo Flores – photographer
- Dale Becker – mastering
Performers
- JoJo – lead vocals, background vocals, writing, producer
- Nikki Flores – background vocals, writing, recording
- Tommy Parker – background vocals
Technical
- Jordan Orvosh – writing
- Jordan XL – producer
- Xu Zhu – recording
- Tyler Scott – mixing
- David K. Younghyun – mixing engineer, mixing assistant
- Kennedi Lykken – writing
- Robert McCurdy – writing
- Christopher Petrosino – writing
- Noise Club – producer, recording
- Thomas Westly Lumpkins – writing
- Isabella Sjöstrand – writing
- Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II – writing, producer, recording
- Donaldson "DC" Cenatus – mixing
- Michael Holmes – writing
- Gracie Ella – writing
- DZL – producer
- Elijah Blake – writing
- Bianca "Blush" Atterberry – writing
- Rob Grimaldi – writing, producer
- JinJoo Lee – guitar
- MoDre – bass
- Katsuya Sezaki – guitar recording
- Nate Cyphert – writing
- Riley Biederer – writing
- Tiara Thomas – writing
- Carl McCormick – writing
- Kelvin Wooten – writing
- Cardiak – producer
- Kelvin Wu10 – producer
- Randy Urbanski – recording
- James Droll – writing
- Caroline Baker – writing, producer, recording
- John Lowell Anderson – mixing engineer assistant
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[24] | 56 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[25] | 80 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | October 1, 2021 |
|
Digital edition | [26] | |
| October 15, 2021 | CD | Physical edition | [27] | ||
| November 18, 2022 | Vinyl | [28] |
References
- ^ "JoJo cancels Good To Know tour (but hints at new music)". Electric Angels. January 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Creature of Habit Livestream. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "JoJo Talks Her New EP, "Trying Not To Think About It"". Wonderland Magazine. June 29, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Trying Not to Think About It (booklet). Clover Music/Warner. 2021.
- ^ a b c Skinner, Tom (August 17, 2021). "JoJo announces new "capsule project", 'Trying Not To Think About It'". NME. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Iahn, Buddy (August 16, 2021). "JoJo announces 'Trying Not To Think About It'". The Music Universe. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ Folk, Antwane (October 27, 2021). "JoJo Announces 2022 World Tour". Rated R&B. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "JoJo Talks New Music at American Music Awards: 'If You're a Depressed Millennial, It'll Resonate'". People. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "New music roundup: Pentatonix, JoJo and more | ABC Audio Digital Syndication". ABC Audio. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ Vlamis, Nikos (October 4, 2021). "JoJo premieres music video for "Anxiety (Burlinda's Theme)"". All About Music. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ JoJo [@iamjojo]; (August 17, 2021). "𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 • exclusive tour dates 💙 SO 👏🏼 fucking 👏🏼 grateful to have the opportunity to perform these new songs + some of your favs on 6 intimate ✨ LIVE dates in October along with my incredible talented friend/ special guest @tiara_thomas. ..." Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ "JoJo Announces 12-Track EP 'Trying Not To Think About It' & Single 'Worst (I Assume)' – That Grape Juice". thatgrapejuice.net. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ JoJo. [@iamjojo] (October 2, 2021). "due to unforeseen circumstances @Tiara_Thomas will only be opening in LA. I'm bummed but it is what it is! Boston - aka TOMORROW. doors are still 7pm and I go on at 9pm. #tryingnottothinkaboutit xo" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ JoJo [@iamjojo]; (August 17, 2021). "Come see me this October! So excited to be joining my girl @iamjojo for these live dates, tickets go on sale Friday. Gonna be vibessss💞🚀". Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2021 – via Instagram.
- ^ "Eventbrite". Eventbrite. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ "TicketWeb – independent music concert tickets and more". www.ticketweb.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ a b Blum, Dani. "JoJo: Trying Not to Think About It". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ "Year in review: The best R&B albums of 2021". Yardbarker. January 16, 2022. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "The 21 Best R&B Albums Of 2021". Vibe. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ^ "The 41 Best Albums of 2021". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ https://ratedrnb.com/2021/12/the-30-best-rnb-albums-of-2021-staff-picks
- ^ "JoJo | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart on 8/10/2021". Official Charts. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart". www.officialcharts.com.
- ^ "JoJo Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ "trying not to think about it by JoJo on Apple Music". Australia: iTunes Store. October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ "Trying Not to Think About It EP". store.iamjojoofficial.com. Warner Music. October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ "Trying Not to Think About It EP". amazon.com. Warner Music. October 1, 2022. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.