Rising R&B singer Susan Carol has released her new single “Karma.” It marks her first release since signing a deal with Def Jam Recordings.
Produced by Harmony Samuels, “Karma” is a stirring kiss-off where Carol allows fate to handle her lousy ex. “I’ll let karma get you first / That’s just how it works / Hit you where it hurts / You get what you deserve,” Carol sings.
Though she’s leaving it up to the universe, that doesn’t stop her from throwing well-deserved shade his way in lines like “I swear the d**k was mid” and “That’s why you spraying Bigen / ‘Cause your hairline is receding.”
Soulful production and emotive lyrics aside, Carol’s raw vocals intensify the song’s message.
Speaking on her new single, Carol says, “I hope people listen to ‘Karma’ and feel a sense of relatability, love and responsibility to always put out the energy you want to receive. Treat people how you want to be treated. Love people the way you hope to be loved!”
Carol’s new single arrives nearly three months after winning her first Grammy in February. The Fort Worth, Texas, native won Best Traditional R&B Performance for her featured vocals on PJ Morton‘s “Good Morning.”
Carol went to Instagram to share a heartfelt message after her first win for her first nomination. “I’m constantly in awe of you God, you leave me speechless,” she wrote. “There are NO words for the things you do, you give me purpose and meaning. Thank you God, Thank you God, Thank you God!”
She continued, “@pjmorton Thank you for allowing God to work through you. Thank you for allowing me space to share my gift and shine my little light or should I say God’s Big Light inside of me. Thank you for letting me create magic with you. Thank you for existing and sharing your gifts with us!”
In a 2023 interview with Rated R&B, producer Harmony Samuels talked about working with Carol on new music.
“It’s weird that a lot of what I felt when I worked on [Fantasia’s] Side Effects of You is what I’m feeling working on Susan Carol’s album. [She] is an incredible soulstress [with] a voice like no other. If Jazmine Sullivan and Amy Winehouse had a baby, you’d get Susan Carol,” Samuels told Rated R&B.
He added, “She’s inspiring things musically for me that I had to stand back and say, ‘Really?’ She’s an incredible artist, and I don’t think everybody’s ready for what she’s about to do. No one has ever heard me like this before, and I say that with all respect because I’ve worked with a lot of people and I’ve done a lot of stuff, but no one has ever heard me like this before. This is bold, this aggressive, and Susan is the blueprint for what I feel R&B is going to be in the next 5-10 years, for real.”
Tonight (April 30), Carol kicks off her seven-city tour in Philadelphia at City Winery. She will make stops in Atlanta, Oakland, Charlotte and more, before concluding June 11 in Chicago. (Her upcoming tour dates are listed at the end of this article.)
Stream Susan Carol’s new song “Karma.”
Susan Carol’s 2024 Tour Dates
Apr 30 – Philadelphia, PA @ City Winery
May 21 – Atlanta, GA @ City Winery
May 25 – Oakland, CA @ Yoshi’s
May 31 – Durham, NC @ Missy Lane’s
Jun 1 – Charlotte, NC @ The Evening Muse
Jun 10 – St. Louis, MO @ City Winery
Jun 11 – Chicago, IL @ City Winery