On her latest single “Crave“, Nigerian-American artist Miné doesn’t lean into overproduction or melodrama—instead, she opts for restraint. The track unfolds slowly, hinging on her reflective lyrics and a minimalist R&B-pop blend. What sets “Crave” apart is its deliberate lack of resolution. There’s no climax, no vocal histrionics, just a steady confession of wanting to be seen, felt, and craved in return.
Released on Valentine’s Day, the timing may suggest romance, but Miné’s writing subverts this assumption. There’s no fairy tale here. The narrator accepts emotional solitude, yet continues to search. It’s less about heartbreak and more about coming to terms with emotional stasis.
Raised between Baltimore and Lagos, Miné channels both worlds into her music. Her Afrobeats heritage is subdued here, only subtly hinted in the groove. What emerges is a sound steeped in contemporary soul, influenced by her academic life as much as her multicultural background. A graduate of Cornell and Kaieo University, Miné’s academic discipline appears to have instilled a methodical approach to her art—thoughtfully written, sparsely arranged, emotionally open.
“Crave” isn’t for casual listening. It’s for late-night reflection, for moments when silence feels like a mirror. If anything, it resembles the emotional storytelling found in the work of Snoh Aalegra or even early Frank Ocean—not in sound, but in spirit. It’s the kind of track that doesn’t try to impress but lingers after the final note.
