R&B

Jon Vinyl has teamed up with fellow Canadian singer Avry for his new song “Favours.” Using primarily an electric guitar and a piano, “Favours” finds a stoned Vinyl pondering how to turn back the hands of time on a failing relationship. Although he’s only known her for a short while — two months to be exact

Kaytranada is the man when it comes to remixes. The Haitian-Canadian producer has teamed up with The Weeknd to release a remix bundle of his Dawn FM track “Out of Time.”  Two reworked versions of The Weeknd’s song, which peaked at No. 32 on Billboard’s Hot 100, mute the rich wave of sonic colors from its standard

There’s yet another festival for music lovers to enjoy. Maxwell and Robert Glasper will launch the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley on July 30 and July 31 at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helen, California.  Glasper, who recently released his Black Radio III album, has been named the festival’s artist-in-residence, curating a set

For music critics and fans of the ’90s, the start of a new Mary J. Blige album had become synonymous with Puff Daddy and his frantic calls or voicemails designed to get the young superstar in the studio. The intro on her third album, Share My World, was much different than her previous LPs. It

It feels like forever since we’ve heard Keyshia Cole on a rap-sung collaboration. The Grammy-nominated singer makes the wait worthwhile, joining wide-receiver-turned-rapper AB (Antonio Brown) on his new song “Don’t Leave.” The track is lifted from his new album Paradigm.  The track, which takes interpolation from Foxy Brown’s 1996 classic “Get Me Home” featuring Blackstreet, is a

As promised, Daniel Caesar has released “Please Do Not Lean,” a new song he premiered during his set at Coachella last weekend. The track features Canadian production collective BADBADNOTGOOD, also credited as writers and producers. On this honest track, Caesar doesn’t fully throw himself into the role of Mr. Wrong, but he isn’t entirely the

Rising singer Arin Ray makes a smooth return with “The Mood,” his first official single in three years, featuring Grammy-nominated rapper D Smoke. It only takes one listen to know that “The Mood” is a bedroom anthem that belongs on any lovemaking playlist. Ray’s honeyed vocals flow smoothly over the silky production laced with a sexy

Ambré has crossed paths with 6LACK for a remix of her song “What You Deserve.” The new version appears on the Big Femme Energy, Vol. 1 Deluxe compilation. Besides subtracting Ambré’s second verse, “What You Deserve (Remix)” is still both warm and groovy as the original. 6LACK slides in and manages to capture ears with

Kelly Rowland has another acting gig to add to her resumé. The Grammy-winning singer will star in the upcoming comedy film, Fantasy Football, directed by Anton Cropper (Black-ish). It will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ later this year.  Deadline reports that Rowland will play Keisha Coleman, the mother of 16-year-old Callie (Marsai Martin), who learns she can control her

John Legend will headline a benefit concert at Northwell Health‘s 4th annual Side By Side: A Celebration of Service. The EGOT winner’s performance is Sunday, May 29, at UBS Arena in New York City. R&B-pop singer Jason Derulo will open the show at 8 p.m. EST.  Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster. All proceeds will

PJ Morton has announced his headlining Watch The Sun Tour, which begins in late May with two dates in Australia.  On May 28, Morton will resume the trek in North America, playing live dates through October 1 at festivals and premier venues. He will perform in major cities, including Houston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and

It’s the return of Samm Henshaw’s Untidy Soul video series, and he unveils a black-and-white visual for his focus track “Joy.”  The Jim Pilling-directed video sees Henshaw clad in a suit with a suitcase in his hand. He takes a seat in a cab of sorts, where he gets an unsolicited word on the power of prayer. 

Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, known together as Silk Sonic, have reached the end of the line on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart this week. “Love Train,” the duo’s remake of Con Funk Shun’s bedroom classic, makes a stop at No. 1.  Of Silk Sonic’s four singles to appear on this chart, “Love Train”

Durand Bernarr is a man who can do both. On “Company,” from his 2020 album Dur&, the multifaceted entertainer sings about his many layers — especially when it comes to romance. “The song is about duality,” Bernarr tells Rated R&B. “I’m the man that can do it all. There are different dimensions to how I

Jazmine Sullivan and Ari Lennox have earned a new award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “On It,” their duet that appears on Sullivan’s Heaux Tales project, has been certified gold. It has sold more than 500,000 equivalent units. Sullivan went to Instagram to thank her fans for their support. “Thank you all for making “On

Aiyana-Lee is spellbinding in the official video for “Make You Love Me.”  The Nayip Ramos-directed video begins with a police officer and an investigator opening the trunk of a seemingly abandoned car. Inside, where confetti pops out, they find a note sealed with a kiss and a potential voodoo doll.  The video’s storyline shifts to

PJ Morton has revealed the tracklist for his upcoming studio album, Watch The Sun, which arrives April 29 via Morton Records.   The proper R&B follow-up to 2019’s Paul has 11 songs and features an all-star cast of collaborators, from El DeBarge and Jill Scott to JoJo and Alex Isley, to name a few.  Water The Sun features

The Library of Congress has announced that Alicia Keys’ debut album, Songs in A Minor, has been added to the National Recording Registry. The album qualifies to be preserved for all time based on its “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.” “I’m so honored and grateful that Songs in A Minor,

Mary J. Blige will receive this year’s Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, which takes place on Sunday, May 15, at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.  The special achievement “recognizes outstanding artists who have achieved excellence on the Billboard Charts and have made an indelible mark on music itself.”  Blige is now the 11th

With fame and fortune comes human evolution. On his new single “Lifetime,” Canadian singer-songwriter Dylan Sinclair understands this change will happen but hopes his love interest can handle it in the long run. Partnering again with Jordon Mansell on production and inviting in Rowan, Sinclair has deeply felt emotion spewing from his voice as he sings of