There is never a bad time for BJ the Chicago Kid’s music, but his most recent single release is particularly well-timed. The People is a soul ballad rooted in the style’s long and massively important role in civil rights and other movements, lifting up its listeners and calling for togetherness and respect. But it’s applicable also to what is happening in the world at the moment. The People, brimming with its calls for holding strong as a singular unit (even amidst mandated social distancing) might as well be a COVID-19 anthem. And more than anything, it is undoubtedly a soul anthem. BJ the Chicago Kid laces everything he does with raw instrumentation and the imperfectionism of his stark, unendingly vibrant vocalism, and The People utilizes his unparalleled voice to bring us together and inspire positivity at a moment more important than ever.