Eli Derby - More Than Friends (EP)

If you’re still saying R&B is dead after delving into the debut from PG County’s own Eli Derby then you seriously must be blind dumb deaf cause artists like him are bringing back that essence of what truly makes R&B one of the most touching genres for those with glass hearts. The vulnerability he showcases throughout this EP should be more than enough to silence, let alone negate any assumptions that the genre isn’t alive & well. Off rip, Eli is eager to have a “good time” with the latest shorty he’s infatuated with, whatever that may entail. Whatever it is that she feels is a good time, he’s just along for the ride, as long as he’s beside her, he’s a happy man. Once the weekend hits though, he’s looking to go “up”, no matter the time, date or place, he’s there once she gives the go ahead or better yet he makes the first move. It’s the only time he has for leisure, & she understands this. He’s on the road 24/7 seemingly so whenever their stars can align, he’s not gonna skimp up an opportunity to be present in her life. 

Does she not “recognize” the synergy between them? One can only hope so cause he sure feels the growing tension of love permeating the room. It’s a beautiful tale about hoping your partner looks at you the way you look at them, not through rose colored glasses but rather as you are. The respect they have for one another is clearly mutual. That’s how it is when you first fall in love with someone, it’s like, nobody else exists. You don’t even think about so called “options” when you’re in that honeymoon stage of a relationship & although they say it’ll eventually dwindle, he’s certain that won’t be the case with them, nothing they’ve experienced thus far has even put that idea into his mind, hers either. Of course, the “whole time…” he’s falling for her, she’s still hung up on an ex who she knows wasn’t good for her to begin with. Must be the mercury in retrograde she’s speaking on. Typical but this ain’t gonna stop Eli from making his move.

It’s “3am” currently & he’s dealing with wondering what his next move is gonna be after she most likely had to let him down easily & deny his pushing for something more, though she clearly still is infatuated with him on some level. He knows she’s just fronting, probably just indecisive as she’s always been but if it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t have even had an ounce of the confidence she now has. He knows his much more than just a manic pixie dream boy in this little fairytale of hers. He does the right thing though & just falls back, he’s not gonna pressure her into something she’s clearly not ready for, he ain’t one for those “wicked” games a guy like Jay used to run on her. You gotta appreciate the sincerity on “jayla’s interlude”, for him to find the strength to let his past fling down easy as well. Why apologize if he knows it’s just an empty one? The two of them were just “not the same” so how could it ever work between them? Things are better off this way. He had to leave to do what was best for him & remaining friends with this girl would’ve never worked cause he’ll always want to be “More Than Friends”.