These Black RnB artists will get you into the groove of spring
Although Mother Nature seems to have missed the memo, spring is officially upon us. And of course with nicer weather comes the need for a brand new playlist. In our opinion, there’s no better way to shake off those winter blues than taking a soulful foray into some RnB grooves!
We all recall the social media chaos Diddy started last year by declaring that ‘R&B is dead’, but for those of us that have been paying attention to the genre it’s safe to say that there is a lot of exciting new talent on the scene. So we’ve compiled a list of our new fave’s who will definitely get you in the right mood for the chill spring days to come. Check out our playlist:
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Amber Mark is an American singer whose full length debut album Three Dimensions Deep has been met with impressive reviews. Born in Tennessee to a Jamaican father and German mother, she has lived all over the world in places like Miami, Berlin and India. Mark credits her late mother, who was an artist, for influencing her fearless expression. Her debut album and preceding body of music 3:33am take the listener on a thoughtful journey as she continues to grapple with grieving the loss of her beloved mother.
Langa Mavuso is a South African artist whose debut self-titled album LANGA he describes as “my heart on a page.” Mavuso’s signature falsetto and impressive vocal range is undeniable throughout this strong body of work that explores themes of heartbreak, growth and acceptance. The Johannesburg native gravitated towards neo-soul from his early years when his parents introduced him to jazz and soul music. Mavuso describes his musical heroes as “those that played in the background of my childhood; Caiphus Semenya, Ringo Madlingozi, Miles Davis and Donny Hathaway.”
Debbie is a London-born soul singer whose star is definitely on the rise. Much like her hit single Is This Real Love? her music skillfully explores the ups and downs of life and love. As the daughter of a reverend, Debbie wasn’t allowed to listen to contemporary or non-gospel music until she was in her late teens. But when she later studied music technology, she quickly realized that singing was a true passion that she wanted to pursue professionally. On using self-reflection as a part of her creative process she says, “in all honesty, I’m not sure I know who I am yet. I learn something new about myself everyday. I’m just someone who is figuring it out.”
Xenia Manasseh is a Kenyan artist who burst onto the RnB scene with her debut album Fallin’ Apart in 2019. The singer is also an accomplished songwriter working on projects with artists like Burna Boy, Teyana Taylor, and Mr. Eazi. She describes her music as “my purest form of self-expression” and also credits Kenyan powerhouses Nameless and Nazizi as early inspirations to her sound. Manasseh remains interested in experimenting across genres as she continues to grow artistically, “I can be grungy, I can be soft, I can be clear cut, I can be moody - it just depends on the song and how I’m feeling in the moment.”
Cautious Clay is an American singer whose 2018 debut album Cold War solidified him as an RnB talent to pay attention to. He has co-written songs with Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and John Legend. Born Joshua Karpeh, he explains that his musical name “of course was inspired by the great Muhammad Ali (he was born Cassius Clay). But the word Cautious was to sort of showcase the patient side of me. I am someone who takes time with their music and doesn’t always rush into things.” Despite his name, he has consistently demonstrated a love for experimentation in his music and doesn’t shy away from bending genres as evidenced in his latest album Thin Ice on the Cake.
Samm Henshaw is a singer from South London who describes his music as “soulful, uplifting, and joyous.” Henshaw’s parents are of Nigerian descent and introduced him to gospel and soul music from a young age. “It was cool being the youngest in that house because there were different tastes from everywhere…Everyone had their own vibe so there’s so much to take from growing up,” he explains. Henshaw has gone from success to success touring with artists like James Bay and Chance the Rapper, and working on projects with industry influencers like Pharrell Williams. He followed the release of his debut album Untidy Soul with a short film entitled Us that chronicles his creative journey developing the album and the tour that followed.
Idman is a Somali-Canadian singer whose new song Hate from her upcoming debut album Risk is turning heads in the industry. Exploring the complex emotions that surround a breakup, Idman describes it as the “most honest song I’ve ever written.” Raised in Kenya, Toronto and North Carolina, she pulls inspiration from her diverse background and blends a fearless desire for introspection that takes listeners on an emotional and exciting musical journey.
Ebony Riley formerly known as Riley Montana, is an American artist whose debut album ebony has been described as a “beautiful work of art.” Growing up in Detroit, Riley credits her grandmother’s love for gospel music and her mother’s love for 90s R&B for lighting a musical spark in her. The model turned singer, used her financial successes from the modeling industry to jumpstart her professional career as an artist and return to her first love - music. When describing the inspiration behind her debut album she explains, “it’s just really the reintroduction of myself. I am Ebony. That’s my name. That’s me. I’m finally walking in my power, walking in my truth with my head held high.”
Kenyon Dixon is a Los Angeles native whose initial musical aspirations were to be a rapper. Finally realizing his destiny as an RnB artist, he worked with many industry greats garnering writing credits for the likes of Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, and Nick Jonas. His latest album Closer has enjoyed great success with several songs receiving over a million streams on Spotify and other listening platforms. Dixon understands the value of being patient and enjoying his growth journey as he explains, “what I’ve learned is first accepting that when it comes to art, you don’t get back in real time what you put into art. Once you understand that, you’re okay with the journey and the mistakes. It takes time.”
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