I BECAME a fan of Ro James about a year ago, when his sensual slow jam “A.D.I.D.A.S.” (which stands for “All Day I Dream about Sexing [you]”) popped up on my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist. It’s almost absurdly steamy, incorporating sweet falsetto vocals that remind me of the desperate confessional tone of an unfaithful Usher or the temperament of Boys II Men. The five-minute track concludes with emotive riffs and a long, whining guitar solo. Other highlights from James’ short catalog include “’84,” featuring Snoop Dogg, and the wildly popular “Permission,” which earned him a 2017 Grammy nod for Best R&B Performance—rightfully so, as it’s one of the sexiest songs you’ll probably ever hear about consent.
Born Ronnie James Tucker in Stuttgart, Germany, the singer/songwriter has lived in several states including Oklahoma, Hawaii, Indiana, and, for the past 12 years, New York. But this week he’ll come to Portland for the first date of his first US headlining tour, which supports last year’s soulful full-length Eldorado.
Though he hit his stride over the past three years, James has known his purpose for a while. He grew up the son of a preacher and had a bunch of musicians as role models, including his aunt Rosie Gaines, who used to sing for Prince.