Alex Isley, Kehlani, Chris Brown, And More Prove R&B Is Winning This New Music Friday
R&B is in good hands. As we await the arrival of Kehlani’s new album, blue water road, slated to arrive at the end of April, fans received a new full-length collaborative project from Alex Isley and Jack Dine, plus a new album from Eric Roberson. Meanwhile, a host of indie artists are also making waves with their new tunes, including Tank and the Bangas, Savannah Ré, and Phabo. Here are our top R&B picks to check out this week.
Alex Isley and Jack Dine – Marigold
The nine-track LP celebrates and symbolizes emotional complexity. Isley told Apple Music, “Marigolds celebrate memories. Or they symbolize celebration, they symbolize memories. They symbolize joy and happiness, but they also can symbolize darker times like pain and heartbreak and loss. And so that stuck out to me, that particular explanation.” Isley’s soothing tone paired with Dine’s production allows these two to never miss.
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Kehlani feat. Justin Bieber – “up at night”
The third single from “Baelani’s” forthcoming studio album is a fun love song over a catchy beat paired with sultry vocals, as she and Bieber sing about the joys of being healthily obsessed with your relationship.
Eric Roberson – Lessons
Following the release of “Lessons (Remix) featuring Anthony Hamilton, Kevin Ross, and Raheem DeVaughn, Roberson has released his feature-length project of the same name. “God has a funny way of showing you lessons,” he shared when speaking on the new soulful project that details the ebb and flow of love, vulnerability, and the ultimate commitment.
Tank and the Bangas – “Why Try”
As anticipation continues to grow regarding Tank and the Bangas’ new album, Red Balloon, their new single, “Why Try,” is an organic jam session that oozes funk and soul. Recorded in Earth, Wind, and Fire’s studio, the vibey tune provides the perfect sound as we continue to let the good times roll into spring.
Chris Brown – “WE (Warm Embrace)”
Chris Brown’s latest romantic offering taps back into the nostalgia of ’80s R&B with its sampling of Guy’s “Let’s Chill.” The track is the second single from his upcoming tenth solo studio album, Breezy, slated for a summer release. The endearing track eases away from his recent trajectory of hyper-sexual music and reminds fans that the crooner has a soft side.
Phabo – “Before I Let Her Go”
It ain’t about who did it first, it’s about who did it best—and who doesn’t love a hood man with a good heart? Phabo sings about being ready to give up the world before he would ever consider giving up on his lady, and, quite frankly, this is the sweetest way to help a rose bloom from concrete.
Savannah Ré feat. Dylan Sinclair – “Last One”
After surviving relationships unworthy of what she had to offer and being a choosey lover, Savannah Ré sings with pride of finding the person who makes the journey worth it on “Last One.” The Toronto-bred songbird expressed in late March that she’s “trying to get out and stay out of [her] own way this year… [and] step one is flooding the streets with some music [she’s] been sitting on…” Just last week, she dropped the seductive track “Fiji,” and we’re sure she has more bangers in her vault.
Shade Jenifer – “The Two Of Us”
This ballad deserves the attention of anyone who fondly remembers Usher’s Confessions era. The raw honesty Shade Jenifer describes tugs at your heartstrings without being overwhelmingly despondent. He is definitely one to watch.
