The Nostalgic R&B Warmth of “Slow Jam (Radio Edit)” by Joshua “Showtimes” Williams
Joshua “Showtimes” Williams’ “Slow Jam (Radio Edit)” carries the sensuality of late 90s and early 2000s R&B rarely found in music today, as if the singer were standing right behind the listener, whispering the verses into their ear. In the song’s 3:36 runtime, auditory memory is activated, and a smile emerges almost instinctively.
The influences are clear. Williams grew up with the slow R&B sounds of LSG, The Leverts, Boyz II Men, H-Town, and Jodeci, which inspired his approach to “Slow Jam.” He brings those familiar nuances together with the nostalgia of youthful memories and a fresh perspective, resulting in a clean and delicate track. Originally featured on “This Is Me,” “Slow Jam” appears in its radio version on “Still Me: Remix Sessions.”
The idea began with another “Slow Jam,” the one by Midnight Star. He first heard Jamie Foxx perform it on a comedy show, then came across the version by Usher and Monica, and eventually decided to create his own song that would recapture the intimacy of the R&B ballads he had grown up with.
To shape the track, he worked with longtime collaborator Drew Mantia, who also handled the mixing and mastering. Together, they opted for real instruments and a vocal performance rooted in the genre’s tradition.
With more than one million total streams, Joshua “Showtime” Williams’s “Slow Jam” brings a taste of “home” found in the R&B of 30 years ago, stirring up the nostalgia and colors of the past for those who had the chance to experience it at the time. At the same time, it can spark the curiosity of those willing to open their minds and ears to music made for intimate moments, close dancing, and whispering into someone’s ear, as well as for slowing down in a hectic world that, at times, offers no respite.