Roy Woods’ new EP, Rolling Stone, is a sonic snapshot of life in motion.
“The inspiration comes from just living life right now in the moment and trying to capture those moments,” Woods tells Rated R&B over the phone.
Rolling Stone, out today (Dec. 6) via OVO Sound, is preceded by the singles “Hold Still” and “Rockstar Baby.” It’s the genre-bending artist’s first project since releasing his sophomore album, Mixed Emotions, in summer 2023.
“I feel like a lot of the music that I usually make is me reflecting on the past,” Woods continues. “For this project, I was really making music on the candid moments of certain situations that go on when you’re outside.”
On Rolling Stone, the Toronto-based singer, born Denzel Spencer, takes listeners on a thrilling ride as he navigates his newly single life filled with partying, late-night trysts and situationships.
Woods opens the seven-track EP with “Solo,” where he’s entranced by a friend with benefits. “How your body so perfect, babe? / So addicted, it’s worth it, babe / Got me swearing and cursing, babe / You’re so f—ing good / I love how your body been freakin’ me solo,” he sings over a punchy production.
Woods noted in a press statement, “‘Solo’ is a great record and a personal favorite. I love how different it is from any record you will hear in R&B. It shows my capabilities as an artist, writer, and vocalist in ways that help me stand out from others.”
He added, “The production draws you in immediately with how roaring the chords are. This song was almost forgotten and left in the archives as a reference so we are all happy to present something like this to the world.”
As mentioned above, Rolling Stone is the follow-up to Woods’ album, Mixed Emotions. The latter project included singles such as “Touch You,” “Don’t Mind Me” and “Young Boy Problems.”
Below, Roy Woods discusses Rolling Stone, reflects on his decade-spanning career, and previews what’s next in 2025, including a new album.
How would you describe your creative transition from your previous album, Mixed Emotions, to Rolling Stone?
It was a natural transition. It just kind of happened. We said, “OK, let’s see how we can show people this world that I’m in right now.” It was a lot of situations that led me from the artist that I was on Mixed Emotions to Rolling Stone, within my own relationships and stuff like that. I feel like we just said, “You know what? We need to show this side of you to the world now instead of keeping it so tucked away.” It’s not like it’s not there. It’s always been there. I just haven’t shown it outside of being on tour with my fans or if you’ve ever just been in the club with me or anything like that. So now that it’s in the music, it’s like, “Let’s show the world this side of Roy as well.”
What was your intention with Rolling Stone? It feels like a preview of something bigger.
Honestly, this project is mixed in a little with the album. The songs on this project are good enough to be on the album that is coming. This is the calm before the storm. It was a nice mix of me just working on the album, and then I said, “You know what? I think before we get to the album, we need to show them why I’m heartbroken in the first place.”
You kicked off this era with the steamy bedroom banger “Hold Still.” What’s the story behind making that record?
I wanted to capture a moment of me and a girl at a club. I’m saucy, but I want to get out of here. I’ve had that moment a lot. It just came to me, and I was like, “I want to write about this.” It was one of the craziest days for me making a record. I had to do a PartyNextDoor show, so I had rehearsal, and I was performing “Drama” with Drake for the first time ever, so I had to do that rehearsal too. I waited for him, did the song once, then I had to go to the studio session with an artist named Nailah Blackman. She had to go to a venue for an event at one, so I had to hustle and bustle from the soundcheck to the studio. I got stuck in traffic [and] missed the exit. So me and my manager hopped off. My other [manager] took my car to meet us down there. I took an Uber and I did the song for her.
After that, we had the studio and I was like, “Alright, let me cook up something.” So it was like I had that idea already. And she was beautiful. So it was like I had that idea already. And her beauty just had me. So I said, “You know what? Let me just get in the booth.” My boy laid up a loop, and I was just freestyling melodies. It came together just wonderfully. But it was one of the craziest days I’ve had, probably of all of 2024, for sure. But yeah, that song was so smooth and different from what I normally feel like I would make, but also very reminiscent of what I normally make.
You mentioned “Rockstar Baby” is “ego and alter-ego merging together in symphony.” Can you talk more about your creative intent behind that song?
There was a point from last year to this year where I was talking to my producers and trying to figure out what this world of Roy Woods is for the fans and creating that world. When that song came about, it was very random. I had these two beats that I never usually go on, but I liked them both. I was just in this world of making turn-up music, which is hard for me to get. I’m usually always in the sad, dark R&B world. For me to be in a turn-up world is very rare. But I was in the middle of my tour and PartyNextDoor’s tour. It was a lot of partying going on, so I was in that vibe. I made some references, came back to it a week later, put some words to it, and then I was like, “Oh shit, I got to show this to people.” That was exactly what we were trying to do — find that world. I’m happy I did.
What’s the meaning behind “She Don’t Care Bout My Name”?
Well, I’ve had exes that I feel didn’t appreciate my love or the things that I did for them, not just as Denzel, but also as Roy. The sacrifices that I [made] for them, and they would just walk over the name and not care about how they have to represent me as a person. I have to represent you as your man. I can’t be out here making you embarrassed or making you look like a dummy out here. So it’s like, “Why would you do that to me? I’m trying to give you a whole different energy for you to reciprocate off of.” There’s obviously little things I can’t do and change, so that’s just it. I just accepted it for what it is. You don’t care about my name and what comes with it, then I guess that’s where we’re at.
Speaking of your name, 2024 marked 10 years since you signed your deal with OVO Sound. Who was Roy Woods then, and who is Roy Woods today?
I feel like Roy then was very timid but very enthusiastic to be here — and very wild. I was thinking about it yesterday. I was like, “Some parties I used to go to with OVO, the guys and Drake, they’d always have to tell me to chill the f—k out” (laughs). I [was] doing the most sometimes but that Roy doesn’t exist anymore. You still have that wild side of me but it’s more controlled. I’m not going to black out anymore from liquor and shit like that. I’m not that Roy no more, but I’m still going to have a fun time. Everybody’s still going to feel that charisma [and] energy. I’m such a family man now, so everything for me is more calm and balanced.
You conclude Rolling Stone with “Nobody Else” featuring 03 Greedo. Tell us about it.
This girl kind of pissed me off. She left me on read (laughs). We were both pursuing each other and shit, but I was just like, “How you going to leave me on read? I get you busy. I’m busy too, don’t play with me.” You know what I’m saying? I’m me. So that’s really what that was about. Like, “I’m not even out here entertaining girls like that, so you got my time. Don’t play with it.” That’s really what that is.
I feel like I needed to end the EP on that with my boy 03 Greedo as it being the only feature. It’s a song that just sets a mood for that but on a chill vibe. It’s not an aggressive record, but there’s a kick to it. I like the fact that we built the record not just to be a song but to be a record with the production as well. We just said, “This needs to be something that just ends off the world. It’s smooth, it’s cool, it has a little kick.” I like spicy food. I like a little kick in my stuff, you know what I mean? So, I feel like it was just a perfect blend of what is here right now and what is to come later.
What do you want your fans and listeners to take away from Rolling Stone?
They can take away a lot of the growth and experiences I’ve gone through with situations, relationships and girls. They’re going to feel that freedom of “I don’t give a f—k anymore.” I speak to a lot of girls even that I talked to. They’re also in this same feeling as well, where they’re in their single era. Nobody wants to feel heartbroken anymore. A lot of people have been in relationships for so long, just realize we’re young, we’ve wasted a lot of our years on people that didn’t give a damn, and we could have given that time to ourself.
I feel like a lot of people are going to resonate with that when they hear this project. Life is serious, of course, but we need to have fun with it. We need to enjoy it. We need to breathe. And that’s what this project is. Don’t let nobody play you. Be yourself and own that. My fans know me for who I am. They know I embrace me to the fullest. There was a point of time I didn’t love myself fully, and I’m working on that. I’m getting way more closer, but everything’s a process. When you listen to this project, I just want to show my imperfections in a perfect way.
You hinted at a new album, but what can we expect from Roy Woods in 2025?
For 2025, I have the album that we’re going to drop. I definitely want to go back on tour. But I’m dropping a full album that is going to explain the fun — why I just want to have fun, why I want to be free, [and] why I don’t want be vulnerable right now. It’s just me, me, me right now. You’re going to hear those stories of how I feel about the girls that I’m talking about — there’s only two actually — and what drove me to go f—ing insane over them [and] what makes me say all those things into getting into Rolling Stone. That’s what the album is about. I’m still working on the name and stuff like that. But so far, I have all the music. It’s pretty much all done. So first quarter, I’m trying to go and drop that on everybody’s headtop. Let them know, “Roy ain’t playin’.”
Stream Roy Woods’ Rolling Stone EP below.