Russ Doesn’t Stop

BY: Alexis Eichelberger

Russ Vitale, or simply Russ on stage and in the studio, is prolific. There’s simply no other word more fitting to describe the R&B star and fine example of self-made success.

Born in New Jersey in 1992, he recorded his first song at the age of 18. His startling amount of early work was released on SoundCloud –– from December 2011 to August 2014, he released a whopping 11 albums with 87 singles under his personal record label Diemon.

Russ undeniable hustle was noticed in 2016 by Columbia Records, one of the oldest and most successful labels in the business. With Columbia’s support, Russ became an instant chart success. His single “What They Want”, a smooth and rhythmic R&B tune, peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, followed by “Losin’ Control”, which reached number 62.

Russ’ first Columbia-backed studio album released just over two years ago. There’s Really A Wolf. It includes “What They Want” and “Losin’ Control”, along with 18 other similarly cool, sensual tracks that expertly blend R&B and hip-hop elements. It too climbed high on the Billboard charts and was certified platinum in April 2018, shortly before the release of his next collection zoo.

But in true Russ fashion, his success hasn’t stopped his continuous production and release of new music. There’s been no word of his next album, but he recently released his fifth single of 2019, “Summer at 7.” The guitar-driven melody has an indie-rock feel that’s unique to Russ’ previous work, possibly implying some more genre bending and exploration to come. Whatever direction he chooses to go, we definitely won’t have to wait long for more music from Russ.

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