Jesse Boykins III Performs New Tracks & Talks New Album ‘Love Apparatus’ [VIDEO]

R&B and soul singer Jesse Boykins III recently sat down with The Boombox to talk about his third album, 'Love Apparatus,' and took to the streets of New York to perform two tracks -- 'Plain' and '4 U 2 B Free' -- in these videos for the site. 

"I feel like I don't really fit the status quo from what an artist would be in a certain world. I'm pretty different." the 29-year-old singer laughs. "I don't care though, it’s whatever to me. It’s my lifestyle, it’s my honesty and truth. When I say underdog, I mean in the sense of you put in a certain amount of work into something and then people go, ‘Yeah, that’s cool but we like this ’cause it’s shinier.’ I don't really care about shiny that much. I much prefer real.”

Boykins released his latest album, 'Love Apparatus,' in April and tells The Boombox that the songs he writes are usually personal experiences to him. “Everything I write is based off a personal experience, whether it be mine or someone else’s,” he admits. “Sometimes people’s different energies will sway my vision so it’s easier for me to just hone in on myself."

For the song 'Plain' off the album, Boykins reveals that the song was written based on a past relationship struggle. "It’s not necessarily saying that it’s over, it’s just ‘OK, now we’ve acknowledged that things are going south. Now let’s put the challenges up and where are the solutions," he confesses. "It’s me expressing the lack of attention or the lack of effort and growth as a union. That’s why I wrote it — to vent.”

Regarding '4 U 2 B Free,' Boykins says, “This song is about basically saying that we love each other so everything that’s pressuring us to be like we are right now, we need to let go.” And how does he recommend letting go? “The only way for that to happen is if you have the concept to know that I want you to be free, I want you to be who you are, when you are, what you are as much as you want to be and I’ll be lost in myself,” he explains. “Like I’ll be lost in the world with you being free. ‘Cause I feel being lost means to be free, take risks, take chances, live life to the fullest.”

Be sure to check out Boykins' inspiring performances of 'Plain' and '4 U 2 B Free' by watching The Boombox's videos above. Also check out the video above for more from The Boombox's interview, including information about the 'Love Apparatus' that Boykins put together after traveling the world and what he learned from interviewing women from all ages and backgrounds.

Watch Jesse Boykins III Perform 'Plain' in NYC

Watch Jesse Boykins III Perform '4 U 2 B Free' in NYC