On Saturday night, under the cover of rain and power outages across Los Angeles, sat a nondescript gated building on 11th street in downtown LA. The instructions, per the Instagram post, said to check in with the security guard, take the elevator to the third floor and show your ticket. Except I didn't have a ticket. This was one of those magical L.A. nights, ones I had experienced before, where just my name got me in. The security guard passed me through and I took the elevator to the third floor. When the door closed, I thought about some of the best advice Wendy Williams had given me some two decades before, “Travel light, travel far.” I had been led there because of a quest to program my station with fresh new music, that wasn’t being played on other radio stations.

Last month while perusing through Apple music, deep into the depths of midnight, looking for new artists and undiscovered songs, I hit a dead end. I decided to let the music shuffle after I had been playing "I Hate U" by Sza on repeat for hours. The next song was one I had never heard before. Without even thinking too much about it, the guitar over the drums had the perfect, melodic blend that drew you in and made you listen. The music immediately put you at ease, it disarmed you. Then came the real draw, the voice, blowing in like a much-needed breeze on a summer night – a relief. A relief in a world full of repetitive R&B – a genre that is somehow morphed into rap, a genre that some people like to pretend is dead, or dominated solely by women, depending on who you ask - which there is nothing wrong with. In fact, if we’re being honest, I’m partial to female singers.

Gone are the yesteryears of R&B when no one sang with a machine and talent wasn’t reduced to Instagram likes and follows. Just listen to the radio - no one can seem to capture that classic R&B sound, while also making it fresh and current. The sound that was the soundtrack to our Saturday morning childhoods watching Soul Train.

He sang the line like he meant what he was singing. He felt it, he believed what he was saying. It was coming from his heart. It was real. He had lived it. You could feel the urgent, vulnerability firm, and clear in his delivery, “I gave my heart to you, look what you’ve done.” A simple phrase. The emotional call to take responsibility, caused me to pause. When he sang the words, it felt like a comfortable knife going through my heart. The lyric was powerful. It made me stop and ask myself, “Who is this guy?” It was as if he knew what I was going through at that moment in time and was able to not only articulate what I was feeling but encapsulated the emotions I had been unable to express and regulate for weeks. There I was in the middle of the night looking for music and I had found it. I had felt something. It was V. Cartier. A multifaceted musician, who has created five, very cohesive projects that cross the genres of R&B, Pop, and EDM since his 2018 debut.

Every now and then someone original comes along who changes the game. They bring something fresh. They are consistent. They figure out a formula, they execute it and they DELIVER.

V. Cartier has the recipe made up of the main ingredient the legends had in their arsenal, raw talent.

As the song continued to play, I honed into the lyric “I wish I never fuckin’ met you.” I smiled and said out loud, “Finally! Someone keeps it real.” I had a problem with the current state of music. If people can make records about shaking ass all day, then we can have someone sing explicitly about real shit. Real emotions. I turned up the volume and began to dig deeper into Mr. Cartier's catalog.

Once "NFMU" a song from his latest EP release, Frequency finished playing, I decided to play the EP from the start, and what a surprise. As soon as I pressed play, I got happy. My mood changed. The music was fresh. There wasn't a sample. The instruments were real. It was real music. It's what music felt like in the 90s and that's the thing, it didn't just sound good - you were moved. You felt something.

The first track off Frequency is, “Take You There” - an appropriately titled introduction to the world of instruments, arrangements, and background vocals you’re transported to while listening to his music. The instrumentation pairs perfectly with Mr. Cartier’s relatable, raw, vulnerable lyrics that tell the story of a relationship's full cycle, from start to finish.

After listening to Frequency in its entirety, I felt free. I was excited. I thought I was excited because there were 4 other albums to dive into and discover more. I thought I was excited because I had new music to not only program on my station, but to play during my live shows. It was deeper than that. I had just been liberated. The EP was a mirror of my own life. It allowed me to process what I was refusing to deal with. The crumbling of a close friendship.

I dove into V. Cartier's remaining offerings; 2018's, Start: Volume 1, a solid introduction of what was to come – a total vibe. The EP is a nice blend of R&B and R&B-influenced dance music. The project is the perfect backdrop for getting ready for the club or a late-night drive around town. The tone that is presented in his debut effort, is one that remains consistent throughout his next releases.

2019’s, Gemini, is the perfect second dose. V. Cartier is consistent with his vocal and his vulnerable lyric throughout. He establishes a clear formula with both releases, though he experiments a bit more on the Gemini EP. He knows what works and what sounds good. He knows his lane and owns it. Mr. Cartier makes you want more and he delivers delivers

On 2020’s, Night Out. It’s literally the soundtrack for the perfect night out. Think summer. You’ve been with your friends all day at the beach, now it’s time to change clothes and let the night begin. You press play. You start at the club, you flirt, you end up meeting somebody you like. Cartier captures each moment with precision like none other. The music changes with each scene like it would play out in real life. Mr. Cartier is not only pristine with his production but his lyrics are top tier. He tells a compelling story that instantly grabs you and allows you to reflect on your own experiences or anticipate the ones that will happen - the stories he sings about.

His transformative music didn’t stop there. 2021’s BPM, his first LP is a sonically soothing collection of songs that are the perfect sequel to Night Out. Mr. Cartier’s projects built up to the moment where he could focus on the dance music that he introduced on his initial release in 2018, which is what BPM is comprised of. However, towards the end of BPM, he slows it down with a beautifully composed, mid-tempo track "Westside" an ode to L.A., which also features a saxophone solo arranged and performed by Mr. Cartier himself. He closes BPM with a rework of the opening track, “Tempo” which is the perfect song to play as soon as the sun goes down, the song compliments the night. The “Tempo” rework almost sounds like an introduction to what will be a future slow jam. In addition to his mix of EPs and LPs, he has 3 Singles that do not appear on his main features. They include 2022’s “Something New”, 2021’s “Gonna Do”, a strict dance track, and 2018’s “Luv U", which incorporate the formula outlined in his main body of work. It is clear he is on a mission to make his mark – he is dropping projects as Mariah Carey did in the 90s. With enough music to pick the best songs for the station; I was pleased and excited.

Over the last few weeks of the season of my live shows, I played my favorite records, “Oh Boy”, “What You Want”, “Waiting”, “Westside”, “Party’s Over”, “Wild & Young” and a song that has been on repeat for at least two months, “Come Down”. I eagerly introduced his music to my listening audience and they noticed. Several listeners gave me feedback about it. My mission was accomplished. I was so captivated and excited about his music, I even followed him on Instagram, which is something I typically shy away from.

Last Friday night a rainstorm hit L.A. and the power went out for thousands of people across the city. It was so severe even LAX closed the airport and grounded flights for a few hours just as a precaution. While the city was in chaos, I chose to spark a blunt and look at Instagram stories when I saw that V. Cartier posted a story explaining he had a few tickets left for his performance taking place the following night. I took a chance and asked if there was still space, not thinking he would respond and even thinking to myself I was silly for asking because we didn’t know each other – and I didn’t want to come off as some psycho groupie either.

“What’s your full name?” He responded.

In the middle of darkness, there was light. There was space. He did respond and maybe I wasn't so silly after all. Maybe it was the universe conspiring in my favor – as the universe was the only one who was privy to all of my midnight searches of new music to play on my station, the hand-selected revolving playlists that take hours to craft for the perfect sound, just like V. Cartier's music. The universe was the only one that saw my response and my immediate purchase of his entire catalog because it struck a chord with me. It was the inspiration I needed to move and create.

For me, there was this magic opportunity to see my new favorite artist who helped me navigate things in my life, I couldn’t even or maybe didn’t want to explain, just like my other favorite artists; Lalah Hathaway, Rahsaan Patterson, and Janet Jackson had done before. That is the beauty of artistry – you never know who or how you’re positively affecting someone.

The elevator took me to the third floor where I was met at the entryway by a man with a laptop checking people in. I gave him my name and surveyed the setup. I knew that his set started at 10:30 p.m., I got there at 10:20 just to make sure I was on time. I did not want to be rude or late, I was added to a list out of sheer grace and I wanted to fully respect and honor that.

I found a space towards the back of the room and watched the act on stage that was performing. I was annoyed. I knew who I was coming to see and what I was coming to hear, it wasn't what I was watching. It seemed as if his set went on forever, but I was thankfully preoccupied with trying to recover the data that I lost during the power outage. I was distracted by my back-and-forth exchange with my studio engineer about the session that would take place right after I watched V. Cartier’s set.

The other performer’s set had ended. I looked around the standing-room-only crowd and exchanged head nods with a few of the guys that were in my proximity. My next text informed me that my engineer was able to save some of the footage we lost and I would more than likely meet my editing deadline. The night was starting to look up. I should have taken my name being added to the list as the first sign, the night would be fine. As I looked up, I noticed the once tightly packed room had opened up a bit. I was able to shift up a few places to get a better view of the stage when I noticed that the guys who were standing in front of me a few seconds ago, were now on stage setting up and turned out to be members of V. Cartier’s band. It always pays to be nice to everyone. You never know who you’re head nodding to.

Around 10:45 the band and the stage were set. There he stood. The man who gave me answers in the middle of the night and helped me shift my focus on something other than a friendship gone bad. His music entering my life when it did was nothing more than divine timing if not intervention – certainly me standing a few feet away from him when he was just singing in my ear was nothing more than divine timing, especially because I was there because of him.

Not that I had studied his Instagram, but he looked just like he did in his pictures. Just as he sounded the way he did on his records – a rarity. Especially in a city full of smoke and mirrors.

He looked out into the crowd – which was now full again. The live band drew them back, but the voice captivated them. After he finished his opening number, he introduced himself. A former music teacher following his passion for being a professional musician. Reducing him to just a singer would be an insult. He writes, produces, and arranges all of his music. He plays the alto saxophone, and the piano, a true musician. Based on the mystery that he holds; I know there is more to his musicianship than we know.

His setlist was a true testament to his musicianship. It included “Take You There”, “What You Want”, “Westside”, “NFMU”, “Oh Boy”, and my personal favorite, “Come Down” in which I had to contain myself from screaming out loud.

As I sang along to "Come Down" a woman tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Did you get this artist's name?" I was glad I was able to answer the question and asked her if it was okay to airdrop a song to her. I had been listening to him in the car on the way up. His music is perfect to listen to when you're driving at night.

Have you ever been to a concert where the artist sings a completely different rendition from the album? Not here. He understood the assignment and for the people in the room that knew his music, it was a real experience that I know doesn’t happen that often. When fans go to a concert, they want to sing along. They want to hear their favorite song. They want to be immersed with the people around them that know the songs too. Music is a unifying, life-altering experience. I was grateful to be in the moment. I was grateful to experience it. As much as I didn't want to have my phone out to record, because I wanted to have the memory etched in my mind – I had to document the moment. I felt like I was being let in on a secret watching him perform. A secret that no one else knows about yet and there had to be a record of it. Proof that it happened.

We've heard stories about stars performing at small venues and clubs long before they "make it big". As I stood in awe of everything that was happening in front of me, I imagined this what it had to have felt like being in Minneapolis in 1980 watching Prince perform at First Avenue before he hit the way he did. Just standing in that room, knowing at some point stardom was bound to happen...it’s what I witnessed on Saturday night.

Right as his set ended, my engineer was texting me that the power had gone out in the studio again and it would probably be pointless to come there. Simultaneously I had gotten an alert that the power was back on at home.

As I looked up and started to exit the room, I noticed that Mr. Cartier himself was in the crowd, mingling and taking pictures. Just as he was finishing up a picture, he had a free moment. I had a split-second decision to make, leave and send a message later or be personable, introduce myself, thank him for the access, and compliment him on his set – the proper thing to do. I believe in doing things in order.

I took the moment and introduced myself, complimented him on the set, and told him I would send him a message later about the work. I tried not to intrude too much or make it weird. As a person who is not only an artist themselves, I’ve spent enough time on tours and backstage with celebrities to understand how things work. There is a very fine line between fan/supporter of work and doing too much, backup.

He was gracious and just as I expected him to be after stepping off the stage moments before. It’s a nod to his artistry and humanity. Because once I’m off air, the last thing I want to do is talk.

V. Cartier is the real deal and is to be taken note of. He has "IT" and because of that, it will take him far.

His music is available on all digital platforms and is in rotation on BKT Radio. Follow V. Cartier on Instagram.