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.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Beyoncé announced plans to bring her extremely successful and record-breaking Renaissance World Tour to theaters with a new concert film while SZA hinted at an “intimate mini tour” for her SOS deluxe album Lana. Mariah Carey kicked off her holiday season run with news of her Merry Christmas One And All Tour and Lauryn Hill extended her The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour with new dates in the US. Tems returned with “Me & U,” her first new song in two years and Janelle Monáe fired off a remix of “Champagne Sh*t” with Quavo and Latto. Elsewhere, 6lack kicked off his Since I Have A Lover Tour, Majid Jordan announced their Good People Live tour with dates in North America and Europe, and Mahalia announced her In Real Life Tour across North America in 2024.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Arin Ray — “Wait So Long”
We’re a little over a year removed from Arin Ray’s second album Hello Poison and he’s already revealed plans to return with a new project. The Cincinnati-born singer will release Phases 3 later this month, and to kick off the EP’s rollout, he checks in with “Wait So Long.” Produced by the legendary Tricky Stewart, Ray’s new record taps into the frustration over a lover’s hesitation to declare their love.
Majid Jordan — “Hands Tied”
Majid Jordan confirmed that their fourth album would be titled Good People with the release of their latest single, “Hands Tied.” The track follows “Waiting For You” with Naomi Sharon as both tracks help to detail the origin story that lives on Good People, as the album is a reminder of who the duo is, where they came from, and how far they’ve gone.
Vedo — 7
After dropping Mood Swings at the top of the year, Vedo is concluding his 2023 year with another album, this one titled 7. The project is nearly a feature-less effort from the Michigan singer as he calls on Lecare for an appearance on “I Need You.” “7 represents completion,” Vedo said of the album. “It represents those who seek to understand the deeper meaning of life. It’s a lucky number and represents many other things as well. Although I’m far from being done, after creating 7 The Album I now have a sense of fullness.”
Bnxn — Sincerely, Benson
Just a year after releasing Bad Since ’97, Nigerian afrobeats star Bnxn returns with what feels like his proper debut with Sincerely, Benson. Fifteen songs and features from Headie One, Seyi Vibez, Kizz Daniel, Taves, 2Baba, and Popcaan make up the project which he said is a letter to his fans and the close people in his life who deserve to learn about the true person that is Bnxn. You can also check out our interview with Bnxn here.
Odumodublvck — Eziokwu
Staying in the afrobeats world, we shift our attentio Odumodublvck resides to highlight his debut project Eziokwu which translates to The Truth. Through 14 songs, Odumodublvck recruits help from BlaqBonez, Wale, Fireboy DML, Bloody Civilian, Bella Shmura, and more for a project that’s honest, raw, and filled with records that he’s labeled as “okporoko rhythms.”
Mr Eazi — “Fefe Ne Fefe”
With his official debut album The Evil Genius set to drop at the end of the month, Mr Eazi offers another single from the project with “Fefe Ne Fefe.” The new track, whose title translates to “beauty is beautiful,” sports a highlife rhythm, smooth saxophone, and pal-wine guitar sound that perfectly encapsulates the beachside life of West Africa.
RealestK — “It’s You” Feat. BIA
Toronto singer RealestK has been hard at work for quite a while now, and his efforts are about to be seen once again with the release of his upcoming mixtape Real World. Following his “Better” and “Stranger” singles, RealestK checks back in with “It’s You” alongside BIA who provides are strong verse to pair with RealestK’s smooth vocals over the minimalistic production.
Raiche — “Late Show”
It appears that Massachsetts-born singer Raiche may have a new project on the horizon. She returns with “Late Show,” her second single of the year following “Big Daddy.” Raiche’s newest release flaunts a booming bass as she dismisses an old lover who fumbled their opportunity with her and is now back with hopes of receiving a second chance.
Titose — “Infinity” Feat. Moliy
Next month, Botswana singer Titose will release her second project All Things Considered. It holds eight songs and one feature from singer Moliy which you can now hear through their new single “Infinity.” The track joins “I’ll Never” as singles from the project which follows 2021’s Was It Something I Said?.
Carrtoons — Saturday Night
New York multi-instrumentalist and producer Carrtoons arrives with his latest body of work, Saturday Night. It’s his first project since 2022’s Homegrown and it’s a delicate and tasteful release that supplies collaborations with the likes of Topaz Jones, Jay Prince, Joanna Teters, Reuben James, and more.
Russell! — “Just Like Candy”
With an album set to arrive at the beginning of 2024, Russell! (fka as D-Pryde) returns with “Just Like Candy.” The new single captures the desire one has towards that special someone in their life who you’ve had your eye on for quite some time. “I really wanted to aim for a song you can groove and dance to, but also makes you feel sexy within times of admiration and loneliness,” Russell! said about the record.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
