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New RnB Music Blog

The Violet Nines brought the heat in their fiery soul-pop jam, Dancing with Fire

Posted on 12 August 2022

Seemingly, no genre was off-limits in The Violet Nines’ latest single, Dancing with Fire, which melds angular indie guitars with fiery soul-pop vocals, disco grooves, jazzy sax stabs and funk-to-the-core basslines.

It is rare to find an outfit that oozes talent and euphoria in equal measure; the rhythm-led Minneapolis-hailing ensemble is a dynamic exception to that rule. The record is rampant with that irreplicable live music feel; we can only imagine the energy when they are bringing their collaborative alchemy to life. It feels purely accidental that their sonic signature is so commercial, but that strips none of the gloss from their enlivening distinction.

The official video for Dancing with Fire will premiere on August 12th. Sample the funk for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anne Musisi speaks to our loveless world in her seminal single, BE NICE

Posted on 9 August 2022

The fearlessly lyrically confrontational artist Anne Musisi has never been one to mince her words. With her seminal single, BE NICE, she pulverised the notion that women should continue to meekly skate by on their vulnerability and nicety, while the rest of the world treats them with contempt.

Even though I was raised on a steady diet of 90s Riot Grrrl, for the first time in what seems like an eternity, I’ve heard a fresh voice delivering vindicating empowerment. The moody, dark and synth-heavy track sees Musisi seamlessly switching between spoken word dominant bars and hyper-smooth neo-soul vocals that do more than hitting the spot; they caress it.

“Why should I be nice?” a seemingly innocuous question; under Anne Musisi’s fiercely demure duress, which sees her spill frustration for the way she’s been disregarded, infuriated, and mistreated, it’s an emboldening inquiry into the dark world of misogyny and prejudice.

The official music video for BE NICE is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

He Come Collect: Farah Sakhi calls out the games on her Queen-like anthem Pretty Gang

Posted on 6 August 2022

Showing us a smart mentality that is all about self-care and looking after her valuable soul, Farah Sakhi is in monumentally inspiring form through her latest single to sizzle just right called Pretty Gang.

Farah Sakhi is a Karachi, Pakistan-born, Canada-based indie RnB solo singer-songwriter who is greatly inspired by real-life scenarios.

”Inspired by music that evokes strong reactions, Farah Sakhi’s personal journey began as a way to communicate her own nuanced feelings through music with the intention of capturing them in time.” ~ Farah Sakhi

Sung with potent precision and showing why she is so highly regarded in the underground, Farah Sakhi shines so brightly and brings forth a dynamic performance up there with the best of 2022. Telling us she has no time for those who wish to waste it, we are in the wraps of a sassy artist who certainly knows what she wants. Her tone is rather mysterious yet impressive, fluttering your heart and taking you into her fascinating world.

”Sharing the mental processes that brought her closer to her own journey of self-love, self-care and independence.” ~ Farah Sakhi

Pretty Gang from Canada-based indie RnB solo singer-songwriter Farah Sakhi is a real anthem for anyone who hates being ghosted. Showing us the correct mentality to lead one far from any heartbreak, she sings with such eloquent strength and should assist many in breaking away from half-hearted relationship destruction.

Hear this new single on Spotify and check out her flourishing IG page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

LA Jazz Scene Icon Sam Hirsh Created Melodic Chemistry with Amber Navran in His Seminal Single, Hot Slow

Posted on 3 August 2022

Taken from his LP, Quarantine Dreams, Sam Hirsh’s standout single, Hot Slow, featuring Amber Navran, is everything it says on the tin. Rather than cooking up a tried, tested, and uninspired blend of soul, Hirsh delivered jazzy melodies which artfully blossom around the smoky – almost trip-hoppy – whispered vocals.

In the LA jazz scene, the pianist, composer and educator is renowned for the soulful energy in his compositions; they are everything people who bemoan ‘they don’t make them like they used to’ could ask for. Better yet, right from the first hit, Hot Slow is smooth enough to melt into. For the same reasons I fell in love with California by Mr Bungle, I will be giving Hot Slow plenty of repeat attention.

Hot Slow is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Texas RnB artist Nubia Emmon can’t help but follow her hungry body on ‘Trip’

Posted on 30 July 2022

Produced by Austin’s DSII, Nubia Emmon wants to get up on it and show her new lover that she is the real deal on the hypnotizing new single to dance all night with called ‘Trip‘.

Nubia Emmon is an enchanting Austin, Texas-born RnB/hip hop artist who makes pure anthems that will uplift your mood and take you to a more illuminated place.

Inspired by the classic 90s and the early 2000s sound, Nubia Emmon shows us her elegant charms and shall slide a cheeky smile all over your face. Guiding us delightfully into a party that is getting charged up, but never too much to handle. With a calming breeze that shall urge you to make that move, this is a smooth experience which will have you in awe of her serene vocal ability.

‘Trip‘ from unassuming Austin, Texas-born RnB/hip hop artist Nubia Emmon is a soaring single from a singer who is rather graceful and real. Her eyes spark as she shows us this romantic occasion that is out of character-but needed-as her body craves a playmate tonight, no matter what.

When you look into their eyes for the first time, you just know whether it’s going to work.

See this new video on YouTube and check out her IG page for more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Mawi feels like this is finally the end after so many lies on The Morning After

Posted on 30 July 2022

From feeling the love to then sensing that his name was being slighted behind his back by someone who he truly cared for before, Mawi shows us that the end should have happened ages ago via his emotional new release, The Morning After.

Mawi aka Dagmawi Zemedkun Fasil is a USA-based alt-RnB/pop solo singer-songwriter who performs with a vocal edge that might have your whole body shuddering in anticipation.

”Combines Tame Impala production with Weeknd style vocals to create a somber, melodic depiction of realizing a relationship is over far too late.” ~ Mawi

Vocally pure with bone-shaking lyrics that bring you instantaneously into this cinematic story which so many of us will surely have experienced, Mawi shakes our shattered core apart with a superb performance that shall make your ears float into utter disbelief.

”Building his presence on SoundCloud through an EP and a multitude of singles, Mawi has garnered a strong fanbase, allowing him to perform across the US ranging from small concert bars to college music festivals.” ~ Mawi

The Morning After from USA-based alt-RnB/pop solo singer-songwriter Mawi is a striking song that has been made by a scorned former lover. After trying to untie a knot that was so far gone that a professional scout couldn’t unravel, he shows us acutely into his current mindset, that is saddened by this moment that he has dreaded for too long. Performed with a heightened velocity, this is a track for anyone who has felt so unfairly used and left for dead in an unwelcoming world.

Sometimes you just need to close the door, to open up a happier one.

Turn up this honest gem on YouTube and see more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Jimmy G. $hi takes it slow in his RnB single, Drown Tonight

Posted on 30 July 2022

Give your RnB playlists a fresh soul fix by introducing it to the lead single, Drown Tonight, from Jimmy G. $hi’s 2022 album, P.T.H.B.

After warm saturated tones have eased you into the smooth contemporary track that unfurls around hip hop percussion and spacey electronica synthetics, Jimmy G. $hi goes in heavy with the sultry romanticism. The affectionately demure energy resonates through the lyrics as much as the steady vocals that affirm the message of the single; pace is the trick.

With the stellar production, the mellifluous soul that spills from the vocals and the evocative heights that Drown Tonight takes you to, the up-and-coming artist can definitively be seen as a triple threat.

The official music video for Drown Tonight was released on July 22nd. Check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JNO desperately wants that romantic connection to return on ‘Come Thru’ (feat. AllyStarDreamly)

Posted on 30 July 2022

Taking us into this subdued mood that has no hope of changing for the better as the candles have blown out, JNO wants the night to spark with all-night passion, but he is feeling the icy winds of wrath from his former flame on ‘Come Thru‘ (feat. AllyStarDreamly).

JNO aka Joshua Nathan Ortañez is a 22-year-old Northern California-raised Filipino-American RnB singer-songwriter who loves telling genuine stories that are packed with life.

After starting his career in 2014 with prolific releases aplenty, JNO is showing us exactly what is happening at this precise moment and vividly describes it with a hazy smoke in the air. Packed with a heartbreaking scenario that can’t possibly twist back from the hurt before, that wrapped your smiles away during the hurtful conversations.

‘Come Thru‘ (feat. AllyStarDreamly) from San Francisco, California-based indie RnB artist JNO is a reminder that sometimes true love can happen between two souls who have departed from each other. Sung with a genuine passion that will soak your veins and cause you to shiver slightly, this is a superbly projected single that will have you in awe of the aura presented.

Love can be so cruel if your morals don’t connect as one.

Listen up to this new track on Spotify and check out the IG page for more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

J. Jeaux exhibits blissful command over rhythm in his RnB debut, More Than Enough

Posted on 23 July 2022

Taking a brief reprieve from composing for video games and media, the singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist J. Jeaux released his debut single, More Than Enough, in June 2022.

Exhibiting his world-building melodies, sweetened R&B vocal lines and songwriting tenacity, More Than Enough rewrites the R&B rules through the warm analogue atmosphere & cuttingly contemporary resonance.

Few breaking artists excel in bringing RnB into this era without assimilation, but the Mexico City-based artist is so much more than your average Frank Ocean carbon copy with his blissful command over rhythm. Even with the tinges of sorrowful sentimentality, More Than Enough is a touch of serenity in our chaos-encompassing times.

More Than Enough is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Crying On The Way Home: Sydney Elise drops artistically excellent debut track all about that Attachment Theory

Posted on 22 July 2022

Inspired by Jhené Aiko, India Arie, and Beyoncé, Sydney Elise is on the way to taking hold of those past feelings from a harsh former lover on her purest release yet called Attachment Theory.

Sydney Elise is a New York, USA-based indie RnB solo singer-songwriter who has recently intrigued us even further by bravely changing her artist name.

”Growing up, Sydney was always writing poetry and singing, she soon began blending these two skills to create her unique sound as an artist.” ~ Sydney Elise

Showing us her magnifying skill set that shall startle your senses in a good way as you close your eyes and imagine seeing Sydney Elise live for the first time. Her authentic ways send shivers down the spine and this is a single that certainly delivers from all angles of self-reflection.

Attachment Theory from New York, USA-based indie RnB solo singer-songwriter Sydney Elise is a story all about feeling like you have finally clicked that all you built up has gone forever. Compelling to the rafters from one of the more gifted underground artists, who needs more love. Her vocal skills are exceptional and this is a special single from someone who sings from the heart and with class you can’t ever forget.

Listen up to this brilliant new track on Spotify and see what this fine creative gets up to next on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen