Jessie Reyez bares her soul on A LITTLE VENGEANCE (is more human than no vengeance at all.)

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. MADE 4 THIS

“MADE 4 THIS” is the opener of this album, and it is brutal. Jessie talks about the things she’s had to sacrifice and the moments in life she feels like she’s missed out on because of her career. As if that wasn’t enough, she has someone she was in a relationship with acting like it was her career that caused their relationship to fail, when she was loyal while he wasn’t around and he wasn’t loyal to her. She gets real about the things she’s had to overcome and the mentality she’s developed as she continues pushing forward.

Sonically, the track is hip-hop leaning, with the focus being on Jessie’s vocals and the beat. The production isn’t super chaotic or overwhelming, really making you lock into Jessie’s flow and lyrics. It’s a strong opening statement that immediately establishes the emotional honesty we’re getting throughout the project. She’s not sugarcoating anything, and she’s certainly not taking responsibility for someone else’s shortcomings.

4. SOFTER

“SOFTER” is one of the new bonus tracks on this album, and it gets really vulnerable. This is a slower, softer acoustic R&B track. It’s just Jessie and a guitar, telling a story. The first verse comes off as really gentle and emotional, while the second verse comes out more aggressive, more passionate. I love that shift because it feels like we’re watching her emotions change in real time.

Jessie sings about a failed relationship where two people wanted two different things. She revisits some of the topics from “MADE 4 THIS,” mentioning getting married and having kids, settling down, and how that really wasn’t who she was meant to be, but sometimes she wishes it was. There’s something heartbreaking about knowing you made the choices that were right for you while still wondering what life might have looked like if you’d wanted something different. It’s an incredibly intimate track, and I think the stripped-back production makes that vulnerability hit even harder.

3. 99

“99” has been out for a while now, and basically, I should’ve been obsessed with this track for a grip now, and I’m disappointed I haven’t been. Sonically, the track feels lighthearted, pop-forward, and playful, but lyrically, my girl is OVER IT. She’s got someone begging her for a second chance when he’s already on his 99th, and she’s tired. She’s done. She gives reason after reason why she shouldn’t stay and prepares herself to walk out the door.

The track gives off major exhaustion and frustration, but it’s a banger nonetheless. I love the contrast between the upbeat production and the subject matter because it makes the song feel like the soundtrack to finally getting fed up. At some point, you have to stop accepting apologies that never lead to actual change. Ninety-nine chances, Jessie? Girl, I would’ve been gone.

2. UR HEARTBEAT (WHO DO U THINK ABOUT AT 2AM?)

“UR HEARTBEAT” is a slower, soulful R&B track from the original album, and it’s giving major yearning. Over distorted voices and synths, simple strings, and a slower beat, Jessie sings about a recently ended relationship. She knows the relationship ended for good reason, and there are a lot of things she doesn’t miss about being with that person. But despite all the bad things, she misses hearing his heartbeat and holding him close as they fell asleep together.

She misses those intimate moments when it felt like it was them against the world, and she’s struggling to move on because of it. There’s something particularly painful about missing the little things in a relationship that you know wasn’t good for you. You can know someone wasn’t right for you and still miss the comfort of having them around. Jessie captures that contradiction beautifully. It’s not necessarily about wanting the relationship back; sometimes, you just miss being close to someone who once felt like home. The production is gorgeous, too, giving the track a dreamy, almost distant feeling that makes the nostalgia hit even harder.

1. CRUMBLE

“CRUMBLE” feels like a hidden gem. It’s filled with synths, moody lyricism, and this alternative R&B/hip-hop feel with pop undertones that I love. It’s like the halfway point between a pop radio banger and a late-night house party anthem, and I’m here for it.

Lyrically, this track comes off as aggressive but filled with love. Jessie is talking to someone she really loves and cares about, expressing those feelings while also seriously considering walking away from the relationship. This man is overwhelmed, overstimulated, stressed as hell, but instead of confiding in his partner or letting her help him carry the load, he’s building walls and creating distance. Jessie expresses her desire to be there for him, but she can’t be there for someone who won’t let her in.

I really like how the song captures that frustration of loving someone who is actively shutting you out. You want to help, you want to understand, and you want to make things work, but eventually, you have to recognize that you can’t do all the emotional work for two people. The production gives the song an almost hypnotic quality, too, making the tension feel even more intense. This one is definitely a standout for me.

SONG BY SONG RATING

MADE 4 THIS (4/5)
GO 2 WAR (4/5)
FOR SIXXX IN THE MORNING (4/5)
GOAT PRINCESS INTERLUDE (N/A)
SOVEREIGN LAND (4/5)
SOFTER (4/5)
I JUST WANT TO PET MY DOG (4/5)
COLOMBIAN KING & QUEEN INTERLUDE PART 2 (N/A)
99 (4/5)
SALT (4/5)
CRUMBLE (4.5/5)
AINT U TIRED? (4/5)
MADAME JOYCE’S INTERLUDE (N/A)
N.Y.F.F (4/5)
G’S INTERLUDE (N/A)
UR HEARTBEAT (WHO DO U THINK ABOUT AT 2AM?) (4.5/5)
iBREAK (4/5)
WHEN YOU HOLD HER (4/5)
DUSTY (4/5)
F*CK YOU JESSIE (4/5)
F.M.L.Y INTERLUDE (N/A)
EVERYBODY CRIES SOMETIMES (4/5)
LOVE & MONEY DON’T GO (4/5)
SYNESTHESIA (4/5)
EGO ATROPHY (4/5)

RGM RATING

Jessie Reyez just dropped the deluxe edition of her album A LITTLE VENGEANCE, and this was the hardest review I’ve had to do in a really long time. A LITTLE VENGEANCE (is more human than no vengeance at all) features eight new songs, bringing the full album to 25 tracks, or an hour and four minutes.

Despite the length, A LITTLE VENGEANCE deluxe flew by for me. Maybe I’m messy, maybe I’m going through it right now, I don’t know, but choosing a top five for this album was impossible. All of the singles from the past few weeks were solid contenders, but the original album has so many tracks that were unforgettable, too, and that made it incredibly difficult to choose. I felt like Jessie was in my brain, picking through pieces of my memories and making them pretty with some fire production.

Sonically, A LITTLE VENGEANCE deluxe leans heavily into hip-hop, R&B, and soul influences, with some pop influences littered throughout as well. I’m talking sensual production, synths, big beats, and just a wavy feel the entire way through. There’s a lot of variety in the production, too. Some tracks are stripped back and intimate, while others are aggressive, electronic, and full of attitude. Jessie moves between these different sounds effortlessly, and the production always seems to complement whatever emotion she’s trying to communicate.

Lyrically, this album is an insider’s perspective on love and breakups, but HEAVY on the breakups. Jessie talks about her career affecting relationships, being cheated on and lied to, and wanting different things than other people her age do. She also gets vulnerable about wanting to be held, wanting things to work out with someone she cares deeply about, lust and intimacy, self-doubt, and insecurities. It’s open, humble, and hella human.

And I think that’s what makes this project so special. Jessie doesn’t try to make herself look perfect or pretend she’s always making the right decisions. She can be angry, petty, romantic, vulnerable, frustrated, and completely conflicted, sometimes all within the same song. She acknowledges that she can want independence and still crave companionship, that she can know a relationship is wrong for her and still miss the person, and that being successful doesn’t mean she’s immune to loneliness or heartbreak. There’s a real sense of emotional honesty here that makes the album feel less like a collection of breakup songs and more like a conversation with someone who’s still figuring things out.

Forget saving a few songs to the playlist. For the first time in a minute, I downloaded the whole album, and I promise you that I’ll know every single song word for word before Christmas. Jessie Reyez is one of those artists who just has something really unique, special, and raw, and that’s something I want to keep with me for a while. A LITTLE VENGEANCE reminds us that being human means being messy, sometimes making mistakes, wanting things we probably shouldn’t, and feeling things we can’t always explain. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ileyah

Ileyah is a mom, a writer and a musician. She loves late nights and gluten free snacks.