For immediate release:

May 27, 2022



QUEER ALT-POP ARTIST

REI BROWN

LONGS FOR REAL LIFE LOVE WITH SINGLE

"THINKING BOUT YOU"

FEATURING JOJI

LISTEN HERE | WATCH HERE

& ANNOUNCES FULL-LENGTH ALBUM,

XENO,

DUE OUT JULY 8, 2022

PRE-ORDER THE LP HERE

CATCH REI BROWN LIVE THIS SUMMER ON SOLD OUT

TOUR ACROSS NORTH AMERICA SUPPORTING KESHI

Download hi-res single artwork

"This tender pop ballad from queer singer rei brown took us off guard with the ways it manages to evoke youthful feelings."

"Beautifully juxtaposes a huge sound with intimate lyrics."

Photo credit: bbyclaude | Download hi-res

Today, New York City-based Japanese producer and musician rei brown releases second single, "Thinking Bout You," out everywhere now, featuring fellow rising Japan-born musician, Joji, where they yearn to be closer to their loved ones. A visualizer to accompany the single plays with the sci-fi theme of the track, taking listeners on a ride to space. Along with the single, rei brown announces the release of forthcoming full-length album, Xeno, due out July 8, 2022, available for pre-order now. Plus, the musician has already begun a sold-out North American tour with keshi. Check out the tour teaser here.

Continuing on the science-fiction themes of the last release and a soundtrack for long distance love, "Thinking Bout You," dives deeper into the cinematic, dreamscape world he has begun to build. rei brown explains, "I wrote my part mostly in the context of a long distance relationship. There are hints in it that suggest it takes place in a different more sci-fi reality." The spacious, otherworldly track hopes to keep the two together as they confront their issues and the distance between them asking, "We’re ascending barely hanging on / What’s this planet that we’ve landed on?"

The chorus sets the scene for the track, depicting the pain of remaining in a long distance relationship. Rei reassures his partner that even though he has to leave, they remain on his mind, singing, "Barely made my flight / We were up all night / Now I’m thinking ‘bout you / When you look to the sky / In the middle of the night / know I’m thinking about you." Longtime friends and collaborators, rei and Joji connect on the track to do what they each do best–invite listeners into a safe, loving place where they can freely be themselves and find themselves in a world where they may not always feel accepted.

The latest single marks the second collaboration for the pair, after rei joined Joji on his 2019 BALLADS1 Tour and later made an appearance on the singer's 2020 album Nectar, with a feature on "Normal People." The album also debuted at #1 in Australia and in the top five in New Zealand and Canada. Nectar has been praised as "a work of art and euphoria" by Ones To Watch and called Joji's "best to date" by The Needle Drop. With assists from acknowledged icons and new trailblazers alike, including Diplo, Lil Yachty, BENEE, and Yves Tumor and over 5 billion streams to date, Joji is one of music's most exciting up-and-comers.

"Thinking Bout You," follows rei's previous ethereal single, "Could I Be Somebody" alongside its mysterious, sci-fi-themed video set in a surreal dreamscape. The synth-ballad delicately explores young love and queer identity, laying the foundation for what's to come from rei. Queerty lauded that the track, "Took us off guard with the ways it manages to evoke youthful feelings, especially the sneaking suspicion that our attraction to a person of the same sex wasn’t quite the same for anyone else," while A Journal of Musical Things said it, "beautifully juxtaposes a huge sound with intimate lyrics."

Xeno, the upcoming alt-pop, highly-anticipated LP from rei brown, is an honest, nuanced exploration of identity and queerness, filled with hints of sci-fi and cinematic nostalgia sprinkled over 15 tracks. It is in this deliberately crafted world that rei is able to better understand who he is and who he may become, bringing a fast-growing legion of listeners along with him. Xeno, rei says, comes from his experience feeling othered and speaks to the xenophobia experienced throughout his life. It reclaims otherness as something to be proud of, something to be loved and celebrated, rather than something to be ashamed of. Explaining the origins of the title, rei says, "I think the word Xeno is essential, it’s why I named the album Xeno. It’s how I’ve related to the world for most of my life — as other, a foreigner, a stranger. Songs talk about being metaphorically and literally being an alien." Rei encourages listeners to bring their own meaning and perspective to Xeno. "I think people can make Xeno mean whatever they want it to mean to them, but that it is an experience that a lot of people can relate to in one way or another."

Rei brown has already begun his North American tour with fellow alt-pop musician keshi which kicked off on May 11th in Dallas, TX and will conclude on June 24th in Houston, TX–find a full list of dates below. It includes two Los Angeles dates, two Atlanta dates and two New York City dates and has already sold out.

After growing up in Kobe, Japan, rei found himself relocating to Boston in 2011 to study songwriting at Berklee College of Music. After graduating and moving to New York City, he released a slew of music on Soundcloud and later, his debut EP raybaboon which led to several successful singles and EPs that earned over 100 million collective streams. From there, rei made his touring debut on the 'Majestic Casual: World Tour' through North America in 2018, and the following year, joined Japanese-Australian artist Joji's 'BALLADS1 Tour'. 2020 brought four more successful singles including "Islands" premiered by Zane Lowe, and his "Honest" music video which premiered with NYLON, and joined Joji on his 2020 album, Nectar, featured on "Normal People." Today, with a renewed sense of self, rei brings his most honest and refined sound with him into 2022, keeping much more in store for the months ahead.

An astral long distance love soundtrack, "Thinking Bout You" featuring Joji is out everywhere now, as it hopes to close the gaps between two people, where they reassure each other the love they share will bring them back together. Catch rei brown live on tour with keshi this summer across North America, though it's already sold out. Connect with rei brown on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube and don't miss the full-length project, Xeno, available for pre-order now, due out July 8th.

WATCH: Hell/Heaven Tour with keshi teaser

WATCH: "Could I Be Somebody" (Official Music Video)

LISTEN: "Could I Be Somebody"

LISTEN: "Normal People" by Joji ft. rei brown

Download hi-res tour graphic

rei brown On Tour Summer 2022

Supporting keshi

05/27 - Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA

05/28 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON

05/29 - Théâtre Corona - Montréal, QC

05/31 - Saint Andrew’s Hall - Detroit, MI

06/01 - House of Blues Chicago - Chicago, IL

06/02 - Fine Line - Minneapolis, MN

06/04 - Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom - Denver, CO

06/07 - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, BC

06/08 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR

06/09 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA

06/11 - The Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA

06/12 - The Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA

06/14 - The Fonda Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

06/15 - The Fonda Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

06/17 - The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

06/18 - The Observatory North Park - San Diego, CA

06/19 - The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ

06/22 - The Aztec Theatre - San Antonio, TX

06/23 - Scoot Inn - Austin, TX

06/24 - House of Blues Houston - Houston, TX

Photo credit: bbyclaude | Download hi-res

Download hi-res album art

rei brown Bio

rei brown is a New York-based, Japanese producer and artist whose music edges on captivating indie pop, alternative electronic, and lo-fi R&B. Relocating from Kobe, Japan, to Boston in 2011 to study songwriting at Berklee College of Music, rei quickly started to make a name for himself with a slew of releases in the early days of the burgeoning SoundCloud movement. Upon graduation, he relocated to New York City and released his debut EP raybaboon which kicked off a string of successful singles and EPs garnering 100M+ collective streams in the process. From there, rei made his touring debut on the 'Majestic Casual: World Tour' through North America in 2018. From here he joined Japanese-Australian artist Joji's 'BALLADS1 Tour' in spring 2019. 

After the tours rei took a hiatus from music to spend time diving into literature and other art forms while traveling Europe in an effort to take his art to the next creative level. He returned to music with four singles in 2020 starting with quarantine-inspired “Bubble”. He followed that up with the Zane Lowe-premiered “Islands” and airy piano pop ballad “Honest” which featured his debut music video, premiering with NYLON. He wrapped up the year with “Forever” co-written by Joji and keshi, which released with his first self-directed and produced music video. He also found time in between to reunite with Joji on “Normal People” from Joji’s sophomore album, Nectar. After such an amazing year, rei brown spent 2021 in the studio working on his debut album slated to release this spring 2022, just in time to join keshi on his upcoming 'HELL / HEAVEN' North American Tour. Look out for rei this year, this is just the beginning for him!

Photo credit: James Defina | Download hi-res

Joji Bio:

Joji is one of the most enthralling artists of the digital age and among the world's top independent artists with over 5 billion streams to date. The Japan-born singer, producer, and auteur has a total vision for his work, not just in the writing and producing of his music, but across artwork, videos, and live performances as well. It's a fully realized world that his fans can inhabit and explore -- and see themselves in. "My music is not biographical," he says, but even still, the deep, heavily shaded emotions in his songs are genuine and they speak to anyone who has ever felt stuck on the outside looking in, who knows what it means to not belong. In 2019, Joji sold-out his North America tour within minutes and performed at some of the most coveted festivals across the world, including Reading & Les in the UK and Lollapalooza. Joji's most recent project Nectar released in 2020 on 88rising (distributed by 12Tone Music), debuted at #1 on Spotify's inaugural US Weekly Top 50 Albums chart, #1 on Billboard's Independent albums chart and #3 on the Billboard 200, nearly doubling the first-week sales of Joji's RIAA gold-certified 2018 debut BALLADS 1. The album also debuted at #1 in Australia and in the top five in New Zealand and Canada. Nectar has been praised as "a work of art and euphoria" (Ones To Watch) and Joji's "best to date" (The Needle Drop). With assists from acknowledged icons and new trailblazers alike, including Diplo, Lil Yachty, BENEE, and Yves Tumor, Joji's latest musical masterpiece earned his highest-ever debut on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Run," and his national television debut on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.