R&B

On the new reflective and piano-laden song “Alive,” Cynthia Erivo sees no point in avoiding the pain of the past when it benefits the evolution. Its earnest pop&B flare is deftly reminiscent of Rihanna and features solid and wistful lyrics co-written with Sean Douglas.  “Sometimes we run away from who we’ve been and what we’ve

Genre-blending artist Tink is back with her new album titled Heat of the Moment.  The 14-track LP, executive produced by Hitmaka, includes guests appearances from Jeremih, Yung Bleu, David and more. Speaking on Heat of the Moment, the Chicago native said, “I want people to see the elevation in me.” She added, “I’m excited for this album,

Leela James offers proof that women in music can balance a great career with motherhood. On a Tuesday afternoon, the gritty soul singer, hailing from Los Angeles, Calif., kindly asks her energetic son to remain quiet during our Zoom video call. She goes on to laugh at herself after the smoke detector chirps out of

A statement album of unreleased songs by Prince has been released today. Welcome 2 America includes 12 songs taken from studio sessions of a previously announced 2010 album.  Among the once-shelved recordings, sanctioned by Legacy and The Prince Estate, is the title track, a song influenced by Curtis Mayfield (“Born 2 Die”), and “Hot Summer.” All

Fresh off the heels of celebrating the fifth anniversary of her debut album For All We Know, Nao has announced a new album, And Then Life Was Beautiful. The follow-up to 2018’s Saturn is out on September 24. Nao’s forthcoming album features contributions from Lucky Daye, Adekunle Gold, Lianne La Havas, and Serpentwithfeet, as well as the recent songs “Messy

Jacquees has teamed up with rapper Future for his latest single “Not Jus Anybody,” which was co-produced by Ayo Slim and ATL Jacob. Over a mellow production that’s laced with trap drums, the self-proclaimed King of R&B lets women know that he’s no regular guy and that being with him is a “chance of a

Vedo is back with a new track titled “Yesterday.”  Over an ominous production, he sings about outgrowing his lady love and her antics. He questions what caused the rift in the relationship, and how it has all has affected him.  “You’re so stuck on yesterday / Still stuck in your old ways / I’ve changed, I’m not

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have unveiled their second new song as Silk Sonic. It’s called “Skate,” and it’s sure to get everyone rollerskating again.  On this nostalgic stroll of gliding carefree on any flat surface, the two crooners emulate the essence of vintage soul that only can make us love again. Laced with lots of

Remember the Lovers & Friends Festival? The once-in-a-lifetime concert was scheduled to go down last spring in Los Angeles, with a lengthy performance lineup of nostalgic and fresh acts, from Usher to Ms. Lauryn Hill to TLC. But, unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the festival was postponed — until now. In collaboration with Live Nation,

Gallant has shared an explosive new video for his Neptune highlight “Dynamite” featuring Brandy. Bennett Johnson’s direction is riveting from every angle of this visual, beginning with Gallant, clad in plush bleached fit, singing atop of a Los Angeles skyscraper as a thunderstorm rages on over the city. The camera lens soon pans to Brandy,

H.E.R. has received four new certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Of the four awards, three are gold honors, including two for tracks “Comfortable” and “U.” The former appeared on The Photograph soundtrack, chalking up more than 35 million streams on Spotify. The latter was taken from H.E.R.’s Grammy-winning self-titled 2017 project.

It’s always a good day when Bryson Tiller releases new music. The trap soul groundbreaker has shared a new song called “One Sided” via SoundCloud.  Tiller is pleading with his uncaring love interest in the trippy new song about seeing his point of view after he’s caused an undue riff in the relationship. He understands his mistake

A year after Kem released his comeback single “Lie To Me,” and it soared to number one on R&B radio and Billboard, the balladeer has issued a remix featuring Wiz Khalifa.  The song’s production, spearheaded by Troy Taylor, gets a new twist, incorporating the piano sample of Brenda Russell’s “A Little Bit of Love,” popularized

The season of Tinashe is upon us. Tapping into her mystical gifts, the independent talent quickly returns with her new song “I Can See The Future.” Known for tracks with an infectious bounce, Tinashe stays true to the penetrable sound. She has her eyes set on a special dude and she can definitely see what

June’s Diary has reinvented themselves in the video for their song “Maniac.” The start of the Saw-inspired video, directed by Derek Blanks, finds the quintet caged while their captor watches them. It then switches between multiple solo dance scenes with a legendary multi-talented dancer. You’ll have to watch the entire video to see who the guest star

“Everything that I’ve put out has been authentic and real, but I think this is finally me finding my sound in my voice,” Leon Bridges tells Rated R&B over the phone. He’s reflecting on the process of recording his third album, Gold-Diggers Sound, which is out now via Columbia Records. The album’s title was inspired

It’s been about a year since we heard new music from Elijah Blake, but the singer-songwriter returns with “Dreams” featuring rapper Trinidad James. Willing to break out of heaven, Blake smoothly croons over the laid-back production. The song leads with a sparkling guitar that merges into the solid drum production, adding to the tranquil energy. On

This year has pretty much been all BJ The Chicago Kid. The Chicago crooner maintains his active music status with the release of 4 AM, his new EP.  The four-track project, launched through his BJ Wednesdays series held this month, includes recent singles “Make You Feel Good” featuring Lucky Daye and “Type Of Day” with

A new era for Kevin Ross has begun with the new song “Looking For Love” leading the charge. The self-produced track marks the singer-songwriter’s first new song this year.  The song’s mood is akin to the modern soul of Lucky Daye, hitting a hard pause on a potential romance that doesn’t have the full participation of a

Nina Simone aficionados are in for a jazzy treat. Ledisi has released Ledisi Sings Nina, a beloved collection of songs made famous by the High Priestess of Soul.  With oversight from frequent studio companion Rex Rideout, this seven-track tribute project features production from Metropole Orkest with Jules Buckley as conductor and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra headed by