Sometimes the best new 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 best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
With just a little over a week left until the start of 2022 arrives, many artists are stepping forward with their final releases of the year. Yung Bleu continues his impressive 2021 with his new EP, No, I’m Not Ok. 6lack also returned with his first release in a year and a half with his double single, “Rent Free” and “By Any Means.” Elsewhere, rising New York singer Capella Grey drops off his second single of the year with “Talk Nice.”
Yung Bleu — No, I’m Not Ok
Yung Bleu’s 2021 is by far the best year of his career. The Alabama native has already impressed with his debut Moon Boy, which helped him win Best New Artist at the 2021 Soul Train Awards. Now, he’s back in action with his No, I’m Not Ok EP. It presents five songs and a feature from Monica for what amounts to another enjoyable listening experience from Yung Bleu.
6lack — “Rent Free” & “By Any Means”
The R&B world has certainly missed 6lack. The Atlanta singer’s last release came back in 2020 with his EP, 6pc Hot, but now it looks like he’s gearing up for a big 2022. 6lack returns with a pair of new singles, “Rent Free” and “By Any Means,” that both do a great job of showing his versatility. The former finds him singing through the pain of a woman he failed to keep by his side while the latter sees his rapping about his rise to fame and recent successes.
Capella Grey — “Talk Nice”
One of this year’s newest and most promising acts is New York’s own Capella Grey. He’s the epitome of a slow-burning act as those who caught on to him in 2021 watched his “Gyalis” grow from an underground record to a Gold-certified track. Next year is looking very bright for Grey, who gets the balling rolling for it with his latest single, “Talk Nice.” It’s a braggadocious record that speaks confidently of himself, his team, his rise to fame, and his ways with the ladies.
Aaliyah — “Position” Feat. The Weeknd
A few months after Blackground Records uploaded Aaliyah’s second and third albums, One In A Million and Aaliyah respectively, to streaming services thanks to a distribution deal with EMPIRE, the label returned last week to announce her fourth album and first posthumous body of work. Titled Unstoppable, the first single from the project is here. “Poison” with The Weeknd arrives with songwriting credits from Static Major and production from DannyBoyStyles and Nick Lamb.
Melii — Winter In New York
It’d been a year since Melii dropped some music for her fans, her “You Ain’t Worth It” collaboration with 6lack. Aware that her supporters missed her presence, the singer concludes 2021 with a pair of singles: “Hey Stranger” and “Would You Let Me Go?” They’re both wrapped under her Winter In New York project which sees her quickly discuss her qualms with love and hope for a romance she truly deserves.
Bryson Tiller & Pentatonix — “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Long)”
Bryson Tiller gets into the Christmas spirit for his latest effort, joining acapella group Pentatonix for their own version of “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Long).” It arrives a few weeks after he recruited Kiana Lede, Justin Bieber, Tayla Parx, and more for his A Lonely Christmas project.
11:11 — Wish List
Toronto R&B singer 11:11 concludes 2021 with his second project of the year through Wish List, an appropriate title for the holiday season. Altogether, Wish List checks in at three songs with one appearance from Eric Bellinger and two from fellow Canadian singer Anders. It’s a satisfying follow-up to The Night Before The Morning After, a project he released earlier this year.
Jah Vinci — Passion
A year after releasing his I Am The World Singer, reggae singer Jah Vinci closes 2021 with another body of work. Passion arrives with seven songs and a lone feature from Nordia Moothersille. It also features heavy production from NotNice, who along with Vinci, got their start in Vybz Kartel’s Gaza empire.
Olawumi — Moody
Live from New Jersey, singer Olawumi has spent the last few years working on her debut album. Moody presents ten songs through a completely solo effort that follows Olawumi’s experiences with Black love and her journey towards self-discovery. “I am looking to invoke the true magic of self-awareness and love with this album,” she says about the project. “I want women (and men alike) to learn that it is OKAY to feel, mourn, cry and love.”
Javonte — Where Have You Been (Remastered)
Back in 2014, after landing features with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, IDK, and more, Javonte shared his debut project Where Have You Been and it stood as a strong display of neo-soul with a lone feature from SiR. Seven years later, he offers a remastered version of the album with three additional songs and guest features from Ill Camille and the incomparable Alex Isley.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists.
