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Bryson Tiller steps ‘Outside’ of his usual style on new single

A three-minute track with a memorable chorus, Bryson Tiller’s latest song “Outside” is addictive – and I’m not just saying that because I listened to it on a loop for three hours straight.

“Outside” is a single from the singer-rapper’s upcoming album “Serenity,” and sees him singing to his love interest, encouraging her to get involved with him and forget about her ex. The song also samples the Ying Yang Twins’ 2005 hit “Wait (The Whisper Song).”

Those familiar with Tiller’s emotion-evoking style of R&B will note that the new song is slightly different from what they’re used to. As Tiller said in a press statement, “Outside” is very “anti-feels.”

Since the release of his 2020 record “Anniversary,” Tiller’s loyal fans have been patiently waiting for another full-length project. In November, he gave fans a soulful twist on holiday music with the release of an impressive seven-track EP, “A Different Christmas,” featuring the likes of Kiana Ledé and Justin Bieber.

Tiller’s most recent music also includes his June single “Gotta Move On,” an energetic track with rapper-producer Diddy about the process of letting go of an old flame, as well as “What Would You Do?” with David Guetta and Joel Corry.

It’s currently unknown if “Serenity” will have any features, but fans can hope to see a collaboration between Tiller and fellow Louisville native Jack Harlow. The duo is very familiar with one another, having previously worked together on Harlow’s “Luv is Dro” and “Thru The Night.”

The friendship between the two artists is noted on Tiller’s “Years Go By,” the leading song on “Anniversary,” with Tiller rapping, “City on fire, that’s ‘cause of me and Jack,” referencing their accomplishments bringing pride to their hometown.

The singer-rapper’s career has certainly seen success thus far, as all three of his previous albums, including “Trapsoul” and “True to Self,” reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Tiller rose to fame in 2015 when his song “Don’t” peaked in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Before his mainstream success, Tiller released an album titled “Killer Instinct Vol. 1” on the once-popular streaming service SoundCloud. In a nod to his roots, “Killer Instinct 2: The Nightmare Before” was released last Halloween, 10 years after the original. The mixtape sees Tiller sampling recent hits, including Normani’s “Wild Side,” and giving them his own spin.

He also covered popular Drake songs, including “How About Now” and “Finesse.” Tiller’s dream of working alongside the rapper finally came true on “Anniversary,” as they collaborated on his song “Outta Time,” which became the first feature on any of his studio albums.

Tiller’s increased motivation to put out music was in part due to the death of his grandmother in early 2020. The “Anniversary” track “Keep Doing What You’re Doing” begins with a snippet of a phone call in which she wishes Tiller a happy birthday. The rest of the song sees him relaying how he must believe in himself the way she did and continue doing what he does best while he still can.

With “Outside,” Tiller accomplishes that goal by creating a song you never want to turn off. Its release is a timely reminder that Tiller is back in the zone, and it’s only a matter of time before his entire album is played on repeat.

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