If there’s anything American Idol still does well in the streaming age, it’s deliver a handful of magnetic personalities with crossover potential. Season 22 breakout Ajii—whose genre-shifting performances won fans well beyond the Idol bubble—emerges as one of the season’s most ambitious alumni. With his latest single “Cherry,” a sleek, sharply produced collaboration with fellow finalist Jordan Anthony, he leans confidently into playful, melodic pop that centers around flirtation, fantasy, and summer-night temptation. The result is a fizzy, hook-driven confection that embraces its lyrical excess with a knowing wink.
While “Cherry” plays like a straightforward pop track on first listen—complete with a minimal guitar loop, finger-snapped beat, and soaring vocal refrains—it gains its depth through attention to songwriting. Co-written by Ajii alongside veteran producers Gregg Wattenberg (Goo Goo Dolls, John Legend) and Pom-Pom (Suki Waterhouse), the track explores physical attraction not through raunchy braggadocio, but through vivid imagery and romantic hyperbole. There’s no vulgarity here—just a healthy dose of metaphor, a few knowing grins, and a commitment to good old-fashioned innuendo.
The lyrics are, in essence, a stream of flirty moments rendered cinematic: “She took my hand and then she grabbed the wheel / Drove me to her place up in the hills,” Ajii sings early in the track, setting a tone that’s equal parts youthful rebellion and daydreamed romance. The chorus expands on this, describing the rush of connection in exaggerated terms: “Cherry / Feels so good that it’s starting to scare me / When you’re near, I just can’t keep my body to myself.” That line, while suggestive, is carefully phrased—it keeps the song in PG-13 territory, allowing it to be provocative without being explicit.
There’s a real pleasure in the way the song plays with language. It leans heavily into its title metaphor, especially in the bridge, where Jordan Anthony delivers a brief rap verse filled with lighthearted similes: “You the cherry on top of my ice cream dish / Genie in a bottle, I’ma get my wish.” There’s nothing revolutionary here, but that’s not the point. “Cherry” succeeds because it commits fully to the metaphor, letting it drive the narrative without needing to dissect it. The song understands that sometimes pop lyrics work best when they’re more about mood and rhythm than deep analysis.
Where some pop tracks stumble by overstretching their cleverness, “Cherry” stays grounded in its emotional stakes. It’s ultimately a celebration of that intoxicating rush of new romance—the kind that feels dangerous in the best way. The vocals, particularly when Ajii and Jordan harmonize on the chorus, heighten this sensation, turning lines like “Every night with you is legendary” into the kind of melodrama that pop music thrives on.
For Ajii, “Cherry” is a logical next step: a bold, bright single that showcases his gift for genre fusion, his knack for catchy phrasing, and his ability to make contemporary pop feel personal. Jordan Anthony, meanwhile, proves he’s more than a balladeer, finding comfort in a more rhythm-driven, character-filled space. Their chemistry is tangible, and the song benefits from the dynamic energy that only two artists still hungry from a reality TV run can bring.
“Cherry” may not be reinventing pop’s wheel, but it’s polished, witty, and self-aware—three things that make it a standout in the post-Idol landscape. It’s also a reminder that lyric-driven pop can still be fun without veering into irony or cynicism. In a streaming world often obsessed with virality, “Cherry” hits like a well-written rom-com: lighthearted, charming, and surprisingly enduring.
Mindy McCall
