Iman Jordan: Delivering Conscious Contributions
Updated: Aug 20
I first heard about Iman Jordan back when he was releasing mixtapes on myspace, going by the stage name Mateo, and signed to Alicia Keys' production team, Krucial Noise, a label imprint on Interscope.
His tone was immediately striking, and I can almost remember the first time I happened upon his mixtape cover of In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, (one of my personal favorite songs). It was gentle and pleading at the same time, warm, vintage and familiar, yet so modern and evocative. The way he approached his own rewrite of the song was indicative of someone who could not only pull off immaculate cover songs on the internet, but someone with a deep and profound perspective as a writer, an anointed and effortless delivery, and melodic instincts that cut straight to the heart.
I was thrilled to watch his journey unfold over the years, as we both simultaneously found ourselves on different labels and publishing companies, all the while never losing our fire for expression and art. Despite being dropped from his original contract, he went on to write with and for household names like Rihanna, Jazmine Sullivan, The Internet and Alicia Keys. But that's not where he stopped.
Now rebranded IMAN JORDAN, his legal name meaning faith and representative of the hero's journey, Iman has taken the reins of his own artistry - fueled by his fire to merge social impact and art, his recent offerings are his most poignant and aware yet. With both ears to the ground, hands in marginalized communities all over the world, and purpose to match his passion, Iman is using his voice (and pen) for more than just music.
In 2025, Iman earned the Henry Belafonte "Best Song For Social Change" award at the Grammy's for his song "Deliver". He has since been featured in Billboard, Highsnobiety and GayTimes Magazine, and his work has also landed on popular Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds, Study Break, Anti Pop, Frequency, and Out Now.
I truly believe there is a mass awakening to our connection and impact on each other and our mother planet, and the desire for deeper and more meaningful conversations is higher than it's ever been. Iman Jordan has positioned himself on the frontlines of the peoples fight: alchemy & art as a form of rebellion - and it wasn't a branding or marketing strategy either.
Check out the song that won him his first Grammy below. ✨
