Browsing Category

New RnB Music Blog

JANAYAH – Sober: From the Bottom of the Bottle to Pop Supremacy

Posted on 5 December 2024

Artistry and addiction have been hand in toxic hand since the dawn of the music industry, yet few artists have been so candid about their relationship with the bottom of the bottle as JANAYAH in her latest single, Sober.

By revealing the myriad of reasons behind her desire to numb herself in the days of her misspent youth in the pop hit through her signature high-octane soul harmonies, JANAYAH exposed how the substance is rarely the problem for those struggling with addiction while acting as a conduit of consolation for anyone struggling to come to terms with their own tendency to hit the self-destruct button.

The balance of 80s pop aesthetics and pinches of contemporary pop ensures Sober stands as a timeless power pop ballad amongst the throwaway pop tracks which litter the airwaves.

As one of the most affecting icons of pop, the London-based artist is well on her way to scaling the charts with her ability to project pitch-perfect emotion through her vocal melodies while wearing her heart on her harmonies.

Sober was officially released on November 15th; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Caleya Black – Stay with Me: A Homecoming for the Soul

Posted on 30 November 2024

Love may be a hard emotion to put into words, but when Caleya Black weaved it into her organically seraphic single, Stay with Me, those four little words transformed into a universal language. The old-school soul instrumentals, complete with staccato guitars carving the contours of delicious groove pockets, cradle the singer-songwriter’s arcanely transcendent vocal register. Through her harmonies, the classic tones she touches transform into a timeless tonality, proving that soul music doesn’t need reinvention to feel relevant.

Black’s artistry harks back to an era when soul ruled the airwaves, as Urban Magazine noted about her breakout single Our Song. The Motown-inspired artist from New Jersey, steeped in gospel roots, knows how to craft music that defies trends. Her debut EP, Still Loves, and standout tracks like Go There and Love Come Down, have cemented her reputation as an artist who respects the legacy of soul while asserting her place within it.

In Stay with Me, the restraint in the instrumentation highlights Black’s command over her vocal expression. Every note feels deliberate, every harmony meticulously placed to pull listeners into the raw honesty of the lyrics. This is the kind of track that doesn’t demand attention but earns it with its authenticity, proving Caleya Black doesn’t just make soul music—she embodies it.

Stay with Me is now available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Meet Sage Ryn in the eye of a soul storm with her debut single, Sunday

Posted on 29 November 2024

With her debut single ‘Sunday,’ Memphis-born, Orlando-based Sage Ryn stepped into the R&B spotlight and outshone it as a conduit of vocal serenity. Sunday wraps the listener in a cocoon of dreamy atmospherics, where the magnetically hypnotic textures of the track build around Ryn’s silky-smooth vocal lines, crafting a lush sanctuary of sound.

The auditory embrace is a definitive statement of class wrapped in seraphically stylised soul. Sage Ryn’s sonic signature is a siren call to the weary, a sophisticated emblem cutting through the static of an oversaturated genre. As she scribes the start of what promises to be an enduring legacy, Sunday positions her not only as a standout artist but as a sculptor of new paradigms in R&B.

The track has already attracted a formidable audience, organically racking up 120,000 streams and earning accolades from industry titans like Timbaland, Bow Wow, and Ne-Yo. As Sage Ryn gears up for her next release, ‘PalmTree‘, due late November, the industry watches with bated breath. If ‘Sunday’ is the dawn of her career, the full daylight promises to elevate her status to new heights.

Sunday is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Penny Taylor’s ‘Cuff’ Unchains the Soul of Modern RnB

Posted on 28 November 2024

‘Cuff’ by Penny Taylor smooths out the edges of contemporary RnB. With a trappy pulse, wavy oscillations of reverb wrapping around the melodies, and Taylor’s constantly in-flux vocal presence, it’s the definition of a melodious feat of sonic mesmerism. Hit play and sink into the single, which sees the singer-songwriter lay it all on the line while teasing salaciously hot imagery into the mix, ensuring it hits on every conceivable level.

Having honed his unique sound for over a decade—starting from humble beginnings with a USB mic hanging from his childhood room’s ceiling fan—Taylor has evolved into an unreckonable force in the music industry. Drawing inspiration from Bryson Tiller, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole, his distinctive hip hop, neo-soul, and RnB fusion makes him peerless, as does his ability to tune into universal emotion and make them hit with personal resonance.

Taylor may not have reinvented the RnB wheel with ‘Cuff’, but his authentic contribution ensures he has earned his place in the innovative vanguard as the genre shifts with the times, keeping the vibes raw, real, and relatable for this generation and beyond.

Cuff is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Honey Made stirred the spirit of soul with ‘Pass Me By’

Posted on 26 November 2024
Honey Made

Honey Made, hailing from Austin, has yet again lived up to their moniker with their latest single, ‘Pass Me By’. The track, which taps into the aura of retro soul with a fusion of silky smooth RnB, jazz and blues, is an aphrodisiac for the rhythmic pulses.

Drawing inspiration from legendary figures such as James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Honey Made may revisit the past, but based on the creative synergy within Pass Me By, the only place this ensemble is going is forward.

The band’s connection to their RnB roots is evident in every note, offering an easy listening session that is both tantalisingly paced and deliciously seductive. With mellifluous melodies that the oceans could envy, slipping into the groove of this track is as effortless as it is inevitable. Honey Made distinguishes themselves as one of the few remaining RnB powerhouses capable of serenading the heart, mind, and soul with just their instrumental arrangements.

With the crescendo of the track which escalates with an intensity poised to leave a lasting impact paired with the graceful vocals, Pass Me By is nothing short of cinematic.

As an official 2022 SXSW showcasing artist and acclaimed as one of the best live bands in Austin, Honey Made has a reputation that precedes them. Their performances not only capture the raw energy of their music but also amplify their commitment to reviving and expanding the audience for classic soul sounds. Join their revolution of retro soul today.

Pass Me By was officially released on November 8th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Under the Ephemeral Veil: DANIELA’s Sonic Resonance in ‘Waiting’

Posted on 26 November 2024

DANIELA’s latest indie RnB single, ‘Waiting,’ is as ethereal as slipping through a semi-lucid dream. The indie-tinged journey through stripped-back soul demands that listeners surrender to the seraphic sublimity of its dreamy atmosphere, which stands as an exhibition of DANIELA’s authentic to the nth-degree talent.

With every note, she demonstrates a masterful command over texture, tone, and melody, carefully curating each sonic element to immerse her audience into a vignette of dreamy, lovesick longing. The warmth of her vocal whispers serves as the gravitational core of the track, leaving the listener tantalised long after the music fades.

Originally from Italy and now enriching London’s diverse music scene, DANIELA draws inspiration from icons such as Amy Winehouse and Lana del Ray, weaving her rich, emotive vocals with contemporary production that hints at nostalgia. Her musical narrative is steeped in neo-soul, jazz, and Italian melodic influences, culminating in a distinct sonic signature.

With a background rich in performance—from London’s speakeasies to the jazz circuits of the Emirates—DANIELA has honed her craft on illustrious stages, contributing to her seasoned artistry. Her live performances resonate with the strength of her studio work, notably during standout gigs such as the WOW Festival at Southbank Centre, backing legends like Sister Sledge, and enamouring audiences in venues as diverse as the Grand Hyatt in Doha and the spirited bars of Soho and Shoreditch.

Waiting was officially released on November 15; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music Video Review: Alana Monteiro’s RnB pop aesthetic in ‘High’ is a lesson in Voguish seduction

Posted on 23 November 2024

Three weeks after releasing the official music video for her first hit single, High, the NYC singer-songwriter, world-renowned supermodel, writer and actress Alana Monteiro. shot past the 1 million stream mark, creating a new addiction to her sound that harnesses more style than a copy of Harper’s Bazaar.

The cinematically shot 4k official music video is an extension of the sleek sophistication which envelops the track, establishing Alana Monteiro as so much more than just a serious contender in the RnB pop scene, but an icon in the making of her own Vogueish image. Blazing in no one but her own trail, Alana Monteiro’s scintillatingly seraphic sonic signature knows nothing of assimilation, it scribes nothing but the Alana Monteiro aura which is taking the industry by storm.

With the outtakes following the final note of the track, the growing army of Alana Monteiro fans get a glimpse of the girl next door behind the glamorous façade, giving the seductively aphrodisiacal sonics even more relatable weight.

High was officially released on November 1st; stream the official music video on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FRNZY reverberates apathy through his wavy alt RnB release, you don’t excite me

Posted on 21 November 2024

FRNZY’s seminal alt-RnB single, you don’t excite me, marks a stratospheric stride forward for the genre, deftly weaving soulfully tender melodies with the stark contrast of its titular message. Instead of aiming to run in parallel with contemporary icons in the vein of Frank Ocean and The Weeknd, the independent artist overtakes predecessors, driven by daring his daring sense of authentic modernity.

The subtle autotune doesn’t mask the raw sentiment at the heart of the track as they bleed into the wavy atmosphere of you don’t excite me. Instead, the vocal treatment breeds a succinct synergy, amplifying the seamlessness of the progressions that will linger with you long after the outro.

The production layers lush textures that invite listeners into the catharsis of the release, showcasing FRNZY’s knack for balancing emotional depth with cutting-edge soundscapes. The track is the perfect introduction to the artist, who is clearly destined to shape the future contours of RnB.

FRNZY released you don’t excite me on November 15; stream the single on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Unveiled Desires: Kaye Fox and the Candid Rhythms of ‘WWYD’

Posted on 20 November 2024

Kaye Fox, long recognised as the clandestine force behind chart-topping hits for icons like J. Cole and Kanye West, finally commands the spotlight with her single, ‘WWYD’

Fox transformed the R&B scene by turning personal revelation into an art form. By questioning, “What would you do if you knew I was wide open?”, she stripped the facades commonly held in the theatres of affection, where desire can distort through candour when you refuse to keep your cards close to your chest.

The soul-stirring anxious rumination unfurls against a backdrop of 90s R&B nostalgia and contemporary soul as Fox’s vocals allow her lyrics to flourish with vulnerability and strength, merging the haunting magnetism of Lauryn Hill and the emotional gravity of Mary J. Blige. The smooth, underlying beat complements her intricate vocal phrasing, drawing listeners deeper into the narrative.

This single holds a mirror to the disarray of today’s dating culture while acting as a kaleidoscope of her own talent in connecting with listeners with intimate universal truth.

After WWYD, it’s clear that no RnB radar will be complete without Fox’s name. Stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sasha Sky found her place in a niche of style and grace with her indie RnB single, Outside of Us

Posted on 20 November 2024

Sasha Sky, a seraphically sublime soulstress emerging from County Durham, reached the epitome of sophistication with her indie RnB release, ‘Outside of Us’. As her lines weave through organically magnetic harmonies that embed the emotions of the lyrics into the listener’s psyche, the melodies carry just as much ease with their mellifluous loungey gentility.

With warm, distinctively embellished textures and intricately stacked layers that don’t merely sum to a whole but open a panorama of soulful experience, the track invites you to immerse in the colour and sincerity of its composition, grooving against your emotional impulses and leaving a lasting mark.

This single stands in stark contrast to the modern charts’ disregard for genuine grace as it vindicates the romantically scorned, showcasing Sasha as the embodiment of the refinement she portrays in her music.

Since beginning her music career during the 2021 lockdown, Sasha has drawn upon her lifelong love for music, songwriting, and poetry, a venture emboldened by her studies in Performing Arts and Music at New College Durham. This background honed her ability to weave sonic narratives that speak directly to the soul. As the crowning point of her career so far, Outside of Us is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to a superlative voice in contemporary indie RnB.

Outside of Us was officially released on November 7th and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast