Billboard’s R&B Up-And-Comer Joyce Wrice Learns to Get Out of Her Own Way on ‘MACHIKO’: ‘You Don’t Have to Be in the Trenches All the Time’

Joyce Wrice says the three-and-a-half-year gap since her debut album was a period of reflection and personal growth, rather than simply time away from music. That process shaped her forthcoming second album, *MACHIKO*, as she worked out what she wanted to express and became more comfortable with who she is.

Named after her middle name, which means “city girl”, the album follows *Overgrown*, released in 2021. Wrice wrote more than 100 songs while developing it, and says songwriting helped her confront avoidant habits in relationships and ease her self-criticism. She also describes wanting her work to offer peace and inspiration, with tracks such as the flirtatious “Break Me In” reflecting a more playful, confident outlook.