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 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.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
SZA, who will join Kendrick Lamar for his Super Bowl LIX performance, provided plenty of entertainment with Keke Palmer as they promoted their No. 1 movie One Of Them Days. Elsewhere, Mereba unveiled her new single “Phone Me” while Anderson .Paak and Stevie Wonder joined a talented cast of artists who will perform at the FireAid Benefit Concert in support of the Los Angeles wildfire victims.
JoJo — NGL
This year is shaping up to be a big year for JoJo as she gets the ball rolling with her new EP NGL. The project arrives with eight songs and no guest features, as JoJo takes over the show to display her resilience and celebrate her ability to overcome adversity.
Highlights: “Porcelain,” “Start Over” & “One Last Time”
Jordan Adetunji — A Jaguar’s Dream
Belfast singer Jordan Adetunji continues his breakout run with his new project A Jaguar’s Dream. The 10-track project features contributions from Kehlani, Bryson Tiller, and Lil Baby for a body of work that celebrates his evolution and rise. “A Jaguar’s Dream is an entry into my love life and my world of thoughts through sound and emotion,” Adetunji said in a press release. “A real manifestation of my dreams I wish to make reality.”
Highlights: “Too Many Women” Feat. Kwn, “305” Feat. Bryson Tiller & “Dirty Diana”
Mereba — “Phone Me”
In less than three weeks, Mereba will release her second album The Breeze Grew A Fire. Following the project’s first single “Counterfeit,” the singer returns with “Phone Me” which is just another dazzling piece of the puzzle that adds to the soon-to-be-acknowledged beauty of The Breeze Grew A Fire.
Sailorr & Summer Walker — “Pookie’s Requiem (Hehe Look Y’all I Made It Longer)”
Sailorr, a rising Vietnamese singer out of Florida, lands a major co-sign from Summer Walker through a remix of her breakout track “Pookie’s Requiem.” The new take receives the cheeky title of “Pookie’s Requiem (Hehe Look Y’all I Made It Longer)” as Sailorr and Walker combine their lalents to add a new layer to the breakup anthem.
Chase Shakur — “Fairytales In Midtown” Feat. TyFontaine
Next week, Atlanta singer Chase Shakur will release his debut album Wonderlove, which he’s slowly previewed with a growing collection of singles. That trend continues with his latest release “Fairytales In Midtown” alongside TyFontaine. A nod to his hometown, Shakur and TyFontaine craft a slow jam for the early stages of a relationship where desire clouds all the senses.
Jawan.mp3 — Reverie
Nearly four years after releasing his The Abstract EP, singer Jawan.mp3 releases his second full-length project Reverie. “This is six years in the making and I’m glad I took my time,” Jawan.mp3 said about the project which delivers 14 songs and features from Elijah Dai, Mal Saunders, and BeMyFiasco. ” “As urgent as music feels sometimes, I believed it was more important to be proud of the work and sure that it matched what I needed to express.”
Highlights: “Loved That Way” & “Cause & Effect,”
Kacy Hill & 6LACK — “Time’s Up”
Kacy Hill is a name you probably know from her feature on Travis Scott’s “90210” from his Rodeo album, but the Phoenix singer has built a strong discography over the years. The latest entry into it is “Time’s Up” alongside 6LACK. The laid-back record boasts a soothing melody and sweet lyrics balanced by Hill’s airy vocals and 6LACK’s distinctive flow.
Mabel & King Promise — “All Over You”
UK singer Mabel teams up with Ghanaian singer King Promise for their new collaboration “All Over You.” The record blends R&B with afrobeats for a heartfelt expression of love and adoration. “It represents my reconnection to a side of me that I haven’t explored musically in a while,” Mabel said about the song in a press release.
Aqyila — “Focus”
Canadian singer Aqyila kicks off her 2025 year with the release of “Focus.” It’s an upbeat R&B record that you can surely jam out to as Aqyila unloads lyrics filled with confidence and determination as she speaks to someone she desires. “Focus” is all about feeling confident and knowing my worth – that’s the energy I’m bringing to 2025,” she said about the song in a press release.
Charlie Bereal — Walk With The Father
Death Row Records signee Charlie Bereal unveils his debut album Walk With The Father complete with 13 songs without a guest feature. Walk With The Father, which was self-produced by Bereal with co-production help from Josef Liemberg, arrives with warm melodies and themes of love, creating a sweet world to indulge in as Valentine’s Day nears.
Highlights: “Never Gonna Take Away My Love,” “Walk With The Father” & “Hope”
ABIR — “Butterflies”
Moroccan-born and Los Angeles-bred singer ABIR make her return to the music world with her new single “Butterflies.” The new record is a sweet blend of pop and R&B as ABIR showcases her vulnerability as she sings about a new love and the thrill that comes with it.
Naika — Layers”
French-Haitian singer Naïka shares her new single “Layers.” The track is a strong message of self-discovery and acceptance as she grapples with her self-identity before arrive at the conclusion that identity can be more than a singular layer, but rather, the culmination of one’s many layers.
