By Sky Pinkett
Features Editor
Welcome to Auda City, a Gotham-like metropolis where the villains might be the men Jae Stephens dates, or sometimes an embodiment of Stephens’ own dynamic character.
Beyonce-stan turned “Grown Woman” in her own right, Stephens finally made her official debut on Sept. 25 with her first studio album, “Audacity.”
Previously, the Dallas-born singer-songwriter has released five extended plays over seven years, including her deluxe EP “Total Sellout” in 2025 that included popular hits such as “SMH” and “Boyfriend Forever,” the latter of which attracted much attention from critics and music lovers for its electrifying bridge in a landscape where bridges are becoming very rare, so much so that fans created a loop just for this part of the song.
Here, Stephens doubles down on the bold, man-hating and simultaneously man-loving “boss baddie” persona that she established in previous EPs, from the glossy goddess cover to the album’s first track “Crush,” where she equates crushing on someone to getting a drug fix.
“I just got over my last guy / Itching for a brand new high,” Stephens sings unabashedly. Her breathy voice fades in and out alongside PinkPantheress’ in the chorus, where the latter’s British accent adds further texture to the lyrics, “It’s better when it’s done, you know he’s not the one.”
The song’s soothing and harmonious opening that explodes into a hard, almost metal drum-like crescendo into a maximalist sound perfectly describes the rest of the album’s trajectory.
Stephens assaults the listener with a fusion of 80s stings, New Jack Swing-type flavors, nostalgic R&B beats and eclectic hyperpop sounds.
Songs like “No One Knows My Name” feels like an infectious party among friends, and “B4U’s” loud and gritty R&B beats awaken thoughts of Timbaland’s signature production, or even a 2000s Usher or Janet Jackson song.
“I Miss the City,” “The Distance” and “Soft Side” slow down sonically, sometimes to emphasize a more vulnerable side of Stephens and other times to really show off the powerful range of her voice. These songs have offerings for pop, R&B and soft rock enjoyers equally, with Stephens making it clear that she doesn’t intend to be boxed into one genre.
Singles like “Sugar Trap” and “Attaboy!” continue to incorporate early 2000s R&B and pop elements while still giving it a unique sheen. “Attaboy!” in particular is ruthless in its heavy, synthy beat, especially in the song’s second verse, as well as its lyrics that describes Stephens’ efforts to train her man the way you would train a dog.
“Used to be a bad boy with a tail ‘tween his legs / Couldn’t be fixed, that’s what all the girls said…I got unorthodox methods, but they ain’t failed me once / I taught him a couple lessons, look how he straightened up” Stephens sings matter-of-factly.
Her assertion over men continues on the immaculate “Sugar Trap,” a song that sounds like someone sped up a stringy R&B song to transform it into a pop zinger for Britney Spears.
Stephens commits to the sugar bit with lyrics like, “Made him go Fruit Loop, now he don’t know what to do / Bubblegum, Hi-Chew, he just tryna get into my sugar trap.”
Her cheeky and clever pen game displays itself throughout the album, like on the slower-paced but extremely satisfying pop song “Downhill,” which discusses the bad luck her ex has suddenly found himself with after breaking up with Stephens. The lyrics take the listener from nodding and saying “preach, girl” to laughing out loud to lyrics like, “Heard you travelled the world getting closer to God / But my friend saw you out, said you’re closer to bald.”
The album’s audaciousness doesn’t let up for a second. “Expensive and Difficult” is the intense, almost rock-sounding anthem that proudly proclaims who Stephens is.
“Gymnastics” is the catchy closer that ends with a surprising moment of accountability from Stephens. As fun as it’s been to see her chew up various men only to spit them out, there are real consequences to such a practice.
“I hate that it had to end like this / You really don’t deserve it, but…Maybe I was wrong / Maybe I’m to blame / They can make me fall / But they can’t make me stay…It’s too late for me to change.”
Will Stephens ever change? Fans can only hope to find out in future releases.
For now, the album exudes an unyielding, loud self-assurance and confidence that is not only particularly notable for a debut album, but for an album in general. This is a genuine part of who Stephens is, yes, but it wasn’t cultivated overnight.
“‘Audacity’ is me daring to take up as much space as I want in a world that has tried to box me in both personally and professionally,” Stephens told Clash. “The songs on this album put my ambitious, aggressive, and even at times avoidant tendencies on display; rather than run from it, I’ll always have the audacity to tell it exactly how I see it, even if it can sometimes paint me as the villain in my own story.”
It’s exciting to see how Stephens’ self-awareness and strong personality evolves over future albums. For now, she has created an infectious, warm, referential but still wildly original body of work that is finally fulfilling the need of keeping us all feeling confident during the year’s colder months.
