Ricky Watters Jr. is signed to Beverly Hills Music Group which distributes via Universal Music Group. An active member of Hip Hop For Change, Ricky is the son of former San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Watters Sr. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who plays the guitar, piano, and bass, and attends Oakland School for the Arts as a member of the vocal department. A songwriter showing maturity well above his age, Ricky has just released his latest single. And supporting video, entitled “Don’t Stop”. The video was shot around Oakland, showing the school neighborhood and the route Ricky takes to get there.
“This song is a piece of me and represents a lot of what I’ve learned in my life, and I want to share it with the world,” says Ricky Watters Jr. “Don’t Stop, started with my own struggle to stay motivated and positive about pursuing my dreams of being an artist. I remember when my voice changed around 15 years old and I thought I couldn’t sing anymore. I got pretty down on myself and felt like I had to learn how to sing all over again.”
Now the 18 year old talent is using his voice and song to encourage people to believe in their dreams. “Don’t Stop” can be slotted somewhere between pop and urban contemporary, the right lane for this brightly shining up-and-comer. Ricky Watters Jr. doesn’t over-sing, keeping things on the subtle and sweet side.
Allowing himself a more distinct flow on the rap verses. He showcases his voice by serving up his deadly falsetto as the record plays to the singer’s strengths through and through. The smooth moments are during the piano and string driven sections where the magnificent appearances of melodic falsetto and adlibs rears its head.
All-round, the project oozes with potential, as Ricky wraps his tongue around the verses. “Don’t Stop” sees Ricky Watters Jr. take a different direction from the usual pop music. His sound is a combination of pop and urban, mixed with contemporary dance elements and old school melody.
This track is extremely catchy and you can’t help bopping along, as the production provides exactly what the song needs in terms of pristine sound and feel-good groove. It also shows that Ricky actually has the ability to emotionally connect to the song and translate its inspiring vibe and message to the listener.
Maturity seems to be a fair portion of the formula that the talented Ricky Watters Jr. is opting for in this song, and in the video. Just examine his presentation of himself. The artist seems to eschew the usual youthful recklessness in favor of stability and maintaining a wholesomeness – at least on this project, and from what I can read into his statements.
That’s not a bad plan considering Ricky is still elevating his profile towards achieving success in the cutthroat business of music. Though his core audience is probably the youth brigade, his clean-cut innocence, should easily appeal to more mature audiences as well. “Don’t Stop” feels like the perfect match for a young pop artist focused on the positive aspects of his craft and culture.
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