DE’WAYNE delivers his boldest, most alluring body of work yet with “june” – Album Review

Review By Deepak Sathish

After a long three years since his last album, DE’WAYNE has returned with his boldest body of work yet. The Los Angeles-via-Houston singer-songwriter is no stranger to blending genres, experimenting with mixing rock with elements of hip-hop and alternative on his debut record STAINS, before leaning into a more driving pop punk-influenced alternative rock style on 2022’s My Favorite Blue Jeans and the 2024 EP I WANT YOU MORE THAN ANYBODY WANTS YOU. However, on his third full-length offering june, De’Wayne leans into a much different set of influences, pulling from R&B, funk, disco, soul, and classic rock and roll. At the center of it lies the character of June, a muse that De’Wayne first introduced on his aforementioned 2024 EP. She represents much of the themes of the record, acting as a vehicle for him to sing about love, obsession, intimacy, and much more.

The festivities begin with “lady lady”, which is a bold and dramatic opening statement. The guitar-driven strut sets the tone for what is to come. Built off an earworm of a riff, it begs to stay in listeners’ heads long after the last note has rung out. Closing on a voice memo of the singer humming the following song, it transitions perfectly into “june”, the title track. This song introduces the character of June to the world of the album, as the singer trills about a day in the city he spent with her, and how deeply infatuated he is by her, over a bouncy and bass-driven instrumental.

Following that, “i’ll be there” adds jazz influences to the mix, with a saxophone riffing alongside De’Wayne’s voice throughout the song. The light and upbeat song sees the singer croon about his undying devotion for her, letting his partner know he would never abandon her, even if the world was ending.

Continuing on, “take a picture” is lush and sultry, as the artist lilts about how attractive he finds his paramour. The chorus settles into a funk-influenced groove, with De’Wayne showing off his vocal range throughout, especially in a fully falsetto post-chorus section.

“highway robbery” sees De’Wayne driving into full glam rock territory. Having served as the lead single of the record, the song filters the thrill and danger that comes with the infatuation found in the early stages of a relationship through an infectiously arena-sized rocker.

“sundays” takes the energy down a bit, standing as a departure from the subject matter of much of the rest of the album, instead focusing on familial love. The song serves as De’Wayne’s tribute to his father. He sings about the ups and downs of his relationship with his dad that he saw once a week on Sundays, over a synth-laden power ballad.

Of all the songs on the album, “biological” is the closest to the sound he explored on previous records. It bridges the gap between the more funk and R&B influenced sound of june with the heavier sounds of his last record. Featuring a driving, glitter-covered chorus, this track is just begging to be played on a drive on a sunny day with the windows down.

On track eight, “forever”, De’Wayne reunites with Dallon Weekes of the indie pop project I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, following their previous collaboration “SIMPLE”. This time out the two harmonize over a disco-inflected celebration of infatuation. This track is an immediate standout, with Dallon and De’Wayne essentially taking turns showing off their vocal prowess, ultimately coming together in falsetto over a bass-forward groove to deliver one of the best songs on the whole project.

“prize fight” veers into heavier territory, featuring pounding percussion and wailing guitar riffs, with De’Wayne utilizing the lower parts of his register. Lyrically, the song draws a parallel between intimacy and fighting in long-term relationships.

The penultimate song “what does he really know” is De’Wayne’s origin story. It details his journey from moving away from his hometown to where he is now. It details dealing with the guilt of making his mother worry, to meeting the woman he loves. It wraps up all the highs and lows of his career in a slow-building power ballad, building and building until it reaches the peak of an incredible guitar solo.

The album closes on the track “love raider”, which feels like the credits song for the entire journey. It revisits the themes of love and infatuation, and wraps it all up in a dance-worthy package. It practically begs to be experienced live while jumping along with a whole crowd.

While his music has always flirted with having a sultry streak, De’Wayne fully embraces it on “june”, creating a world that is bold, vibrant, and unabashedly romantic, with a seductive energy running through its veins. Working with producer Dylan Bauld (formerly of flor), the eleven songs on the album detail love in all of its messy glory. It’s one of the most unique records of the year, combining and shifting between genres like colors in an oil slick. But in the hands of De’Wayne, it all blends into a beautiful shade, as one of the standout rock albums of 2025.

STANDOUT TRACKS: highway robbery, forever (feat. I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME), biological
FOR FANS OF: I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, flor, driving on the highway with the roof down and pretending you’re in an 80s movie, love (as a concept)

DE’WAYNE’s third studio album june is out now via Fearless Records. Stream it here: