Elijah Blake might be an unfamiliar name to some, but he’s definitely not new to this music thing. The 24-year-old singer/songwriter is the man behind some of your favorite R&B artists’ tracks, and has been going hard at work next to No I.D. for the last few years to complete his debut album Shadows & Diamonds.

Working tirelessly on one of the more honest R&B albums of the new generation, the road hasn’t been easy to get the music out. “I wanted to bring something new, but I also felt like my Achilles heel was working against me. So I was just in a dark place,” he explains.

If you’re an R&B fan, you’re definitely familiar with Elijah’s writing work, being that he is behind Usher’s “Climax.” As of lately, he has also done a lot of work with Keyshia Cole, who he says is “like a sister.” “It gets hard as a new artist, but she’s the only one who cares,” he admires.

From channeling his most inner, raw emotions, to working with DeJ Loaf on his hit single “I Just Wanna…,” check out our Civil Interview with Elijah Blake on the following pages. –Lindsey India