Sometimes good R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the hottest R&B jams that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Queen Naija returns with an updated take of her debut album with Missunderstood… Still while Emotional Oranges give fans another reason to be excited for their upcoming Juicebox project thanks to their new single with Becky G.
Queen Naija — Missunderstood…Still
Towards the end of last year, Queen Naija slipped in one of the more impressive R&B projects of the year with her official debut, Missunderstood. Almost six months later, the 18-track effort gets extended with seven additional songs for Missunderstood…Still. Features from Ari Lennox and J.I. The Prince Of NY look to breathe new life into the singer’s project. Naija and Lennox also delivered visuals for their “Set Him Up” collaboration.
Emotional Oranges — “Down To Miami” Feat. Becky G
After making their mark in 2019 with The Juice, Vol. I and The Juice, Vol. II, Los Angeles-based R&B duo Emotional Oranges laid low for most of 2020, but now they’re back in action with plenty on new music on the way. Their newest release, “Down To Miami” with Becky G, takes advantage of the impending summer thanks to its warm production. The song is also expected to land on the duo’s upcoming Juicebox project.
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy Remix” Feat. Mulatto, Future and Lil Durk
Chris Brown and Young Thug joined forces for their Slime & B album nearly a year ago and to this day it’s an effort that is still being pushed thanks to the success of their “Go Crazy” single. Following a remix with Lil Durk, Mulatto, and Future, the five artists come together for a video that features sky diving, polar temperatures, a therapy session, and much more.
Phabo — “Slippery” Feat. Destin Conrad
Residing in St. Petersburg by way of San Diego, Soulection singer Phabo is slowly making a new for himself in the R&B world. He gained attention at the end of 2020 for his “LNF” track and things have only improved with his latest effort, “Slippery.” Laced with a guest appearance from Destin Conrad, the two singers debut the visual for the sultry track.
Sinead Harnett — “Hard 4 Me 2 Love You”
Sinead Harnett readies her upcoming album, Ready Is Always Too Late, which her brand new single, “Hard 4 Me 2 Love You.” The piano-driven ballad sees the British singer expressing the difficulties in love with her partner. The somber track arrives after three previous she released with help from Earthgang, Masego, and VanJess, which will all appear on Ready Is Always Too Late, out May 21.
Jacquees — Quemix 4
Jacquees is back and seemingly ready to take back the R&B crown he once claimed a few years ago. This campaign begins with the release of his Quemix 4 mixtape. The 13-track DJ Drama-hosted project finds the Atlanta remixing a number of popular tracks from today and yesterday including Usher’s “Can U Handle It,” Trey Songz’s “I Need A Girl,” and Coi Leray’s “No More Parties.”
Andra Day — “Phone Dies”
Andra Day began her year with a Golden Globe win for Best Actress In A Motion Picture — Drama thanks to her role in the The United States Vs. Billie Holiday film. She created the soundtrack for the film, a project that stood as her first full-length effort since her 2015 Grammy-nominated Cheers To The Fall. Now she’s back with “Phones Dies” produced by Anderson .Paak, a release that will hopefully lead to more music.
The Shindellas — “Money”
Nashville trio The Shindellas arrived with a thrilling video to their late 2020 video, “Money.” The all-female group flaunts their dance moves in sparkling outfits as they let their voices roar for the soaring track. On it, they share their hope for a world driven by love rather than money. While that might not be the case yet, they promise their own lovers that a good heart will always precede any dollar amount when it comes to them.
Tay Iwar — Love & Isolation
Two years removed from his Gemini project, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tay Iwar returns with his latest body of work in Love & Isolation. The seven-track project is a deeply personal ode to self-healing that also marks a transition from era to era for Iwar. “The intention is for people to feel and tap into themselves,” he said in a press release about the EP. “It’s a perfect self-healing EP post-pandemic.”
Marzz — “Cleopatra”
Marzz signed on as the newest act to the Keep Cool imprint, joining a roster that boasts names like Lucky Daye, VanJess, Normani, and more. After dropping her first single under the label a couple of months ago, the Louisville native returns with her second effort, “Cleopatra.” On the track, which is carried by production from Timbaland, Marzz delivers her outlook on life as a woman while impressing with her songwriting skills.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.