The instructor graciously pauses during picturesque moments to snap photos of DeJ on the Canon.

At her request, I stand off to the side with her iPhone and capture footage of the ride for Snapchat. Whenever she asks if DeJ wants to proceed to the next level - onto the dirt trail, and then over near the lake - DeJ accepts, with no signs of panic or anxiety.Īfter a lesson about posture in the saddle, DeJ learns to direct the horse into a quicker trot. The instructor is a pro at stroking egos, but seems legitimately impressed with her swift grasp of riding. To begin, she has DeJ lead the horse around a small pen to build her confidence. Our appointed instructor, an attentive and jovial woman in jeans and a tee, introduces DeJ to a 700-pound Welsh pony. We pass a miniature rock waterfall and a light post with a sign that reads: “Are you up to the challenge?” Pulling up to the stables, a small black goat greets us. She’s quiet the entire time, reviewing some of the moodier, explicitly sexual tracks she’s recorded for Liberated, the debut album fans have been waiting for since 2014’s “Try Me,” a surprise breakout single on which DeJ casts a small yet imposing shadow. She sits in the passenger seat of a black Suburban for the 45-minute drive to Lanier Islands, a cluster of resorts and vacation attractions north of Atlanta. She’s also packed a Canon DSLR so someone can capture the experience in hi-def, both for social media and personal archives.

Pincurls peek out from a small cowgirl hat. She’s dressed for the occasion, wearing a sleek version of a jockey outfit: beige patch riding pants from Zara, a long coat over a chocolate blazer, and Hermès boots. It’s a little past noon on a Saturday in Atlanta, and DeJ, a big animal lover, is ready to cross horses off her bucket list. DeJ Loaf has hatched a plan to go horseback riding.

Dej loaf try me album tracklist