JRDN


Ralph Jordon Croucher, better known by his stage name JRDN, is a Canadian R&B recording artist. He also currently serves as a Youth Ambassador for D250 and was a delegate in the Citizen Voices program.

Early life

Ralph Jordon Croucher was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and moved to Toronto, Ontario at nine months old, where he was raised until the age of 10, when his family returned to Nova Scotia. While he was in Toronto, he lived in Jane and Finch, in the same building as King Lou of the Dream Warriors. The jazz rap pioneer introduced Croucher to hip hop culture at this time. Croucher attended St. Francis Xavier University where he played on the basketball team. After graduation, he played professionally for one year in France.

Career overview

Jordon gained music experience by competing in Canadian Idol. This gave him an opportunity to perform with Canadian talent, while gaining television exposure. He also worked with Halifax producer Trobiz and recorded mixtapes with the groups N.E.P and Triple Threat. In 2007, Croucher he began to work with producer Classified who produced Croucher’s debut album No Dress Code in 2007.

2007: ''No Dress Code''

The 13-track record featured singles and videos for "Selfish Times", "Feelin’ Fine", "So Addicted", "Won't Let Go" and "It’s Raining". It earned Croucher the CBC Galaxie Rising Star prize at the 2007 African Nova Scotian Music Awards show, a nomination for Best Urban Single at the 2008 East Coast Music Awards and an appearance on the CBC Television special, Barenaked East Coast Music. He toured across Canada with Classified and Maestro and opened for Ne-Yo, Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, Nas and Juelz Santana.

2010: Breakthrough success and ''IAMJRDN''

Shortening his name to JRDN, Croucher worked with Toronto's Kuya Productions and the songwriting and production team of Sammy Blues and Bobby Brass, who've worked with Nelly, Mase, Ginuwine, Jesse McCartney, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. JRDN signed to Kuya Productions in 2009. IAMJRDN is the official debut album by JRDN and was released on November 9, 2010. Since its release the album debuted at number 13 on the Canadian R&B Albums Chart. Off his debut album, the first single "U Can Have It All" brought him to mainstream success by reaching number 20 on the Canadian Hot 100 and the music video reached number 5 on the MuchMusic Countdown. The second "Like Magic" reached number 24 on the Canadian Hot 100 with its music video topping the MuchMusic Countdown. "Like Magic" has been certified Gold by Music Canada on September 10, 2012.

Discography

Studio albums

As featured artist