Browsing Tag

RnB Pop

London’s queer pop queen Tana reached peak supremacy in her single, Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die

Posted on 25 July 2023

The queer pop queen, Tana, hasn’t fallen short of success and supremacy since we last heard her in 2022 with her pop-rap hit, Supermodel. For her latest single, Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die, the London-based genre-fluid originator stripped back the tempo to unveil an RnB pop single that is steamier than *that* scene in Titanic.

Instead of painting a portrait of perfect – and therefore unattainable – romance, Tana played it pure in Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die by nuancedly alluding to how promises of perpetual bliss only leave us lingering in naivety further down the line. Despite the visceral pain projected into the release, there’s a sense of romanticism that visualises the realities of love instead of paying homage to Hollywood tropes that never actualise in material reality.

In addition to orchestrating originated and awakeningly installations of candour, Tana has hit the main stage at UK Black Pride 2022, performed at NXNE Festival, London Pride and Tallinn Music Week, while being spun BBC Introducing, Soho Radio, Gaydio and Trace Urban. Even if you don’t watch this space, Tana is enough of a phenomenon that you’ll hear about her regardless if you put her on your radar.

Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Azure Kai is intoxicating in their pseudo-trap hit, Fine Wine 

Posted on 20 July 2023
Azure Kai kicked off their latest single, Fine Wine, by riding the vaporwave trend and running through with pseudo-trap percussion before the RnB-spliced hit starts to lavish the single with soul.
Many experimental artists solely rely on genre fluidity to make a distinctive mark on the musical landscape, but that is only the start for Azure Kai; beyond their creative versatility is the core of Kai’s authenticity. Their infectiously playful approach to their witty wordplay works in parallel to their sense of humour, which would give most stand-up comedians a run for their money.
Fine Wine ripped up the rulebook of traditional love songs; the un-archetypal hit is infinitely more arrestive for it, all thanks to Kai’s uninhibited expressive style, which throws pretence to the wayside to expose the heart on their superlative sleeve.
Stream Fine Wine on YouTube.
Review by Amelia Vandergast

Wassko has unveiled his moody RnB synth-pop rendezvous, Not Around

Posted on 15 July 2023

Wassko broke ground and hearts with his debut EP, Figured You’d Care, featuring the heartbreak hit of a standout single, Not Around. With a sonic signature that scribes itself between the Weeknd and The Midnight, Wassko reached the pinnacle of RnB-infused synth-pop style in Not Around, which becomes a dualistic lesson in sincerity with the vocal contribution from Rama, who gave the other side of the love story where elusiveness has severed the connection.

Even though the Haifa-residing artist only made his debut with his genre-melding sound, which frequently borrows from RnB, hip-hop, soul, EDM, and punk, last year, he’s already well on his way to establishing himself in the industry.

His 2023 EP is a testament to how honed his skills have become; it takes a fine balance of songwriting dexterity and sonic engineering to visualise such a complicated yet perfectly-rounded hit that paints raw emotion in kaleidoscopic colour, instead of the black and white lenses which are typically used to orchestrate love songs.

Not Around was officially released on June 30; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Devontaii has unveiled his latest tenderly solicitous RnB single and music video, My Side

Posted on 14 July 2023

By teaming up with the video director BOWJACK, the up-and-coming RnB luminary, Devontaii, cooked up a soulfully rhythmic evocative firestorm with his latest single and music video, My Side, which is the opening track to his third album, LoversOnly2. 

Only after hearing it, did it dawn on us how self-obsessed RnB and soul singles tend to be; the visceral compassion worked into the lyricism hits tear-jerkingly hard, establishing Devontaii as one of the sweetest solicitous RnB artists of this era. It isn’t often that artists manage to leave their ego by the wayside while penning lyrics, but Devontaii is standing at the vanguard of empathy-driven soul in the euphoric revelation that is his latest single.

By using “she don’t want to hurt no more” as a reprise during the chorus in the moody, reverb-y indie pop-spliced single, the singer, songwriter and producer offered sonic sanctuary to everyone who has endured toxic relationship dynamics. The tenderness of the single resonates on a profound level; we can’t rate Devontaii’s ability to better the world with his talents enough.

The official music video for My Side has already racked up 14k streams; jump on the hype via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London pop luminary, Maria Manuel, sold ‘Sanctuary’ in her emotion-driven slice of soul

Posted on 11 July 2023

If Maria Manuel can still be considered a rising star, she’s already beyond our galaxy with her engrossingly progressive singles. The South London soulstress’ latest single, Sanctuary, digs deep into the evocative trenches to allude to how we are all the sole architects of our own refuges.

With harmonic crescendos which will allow your heart to catch in your throat, visceralism isn’t in short supply in the RnB-infused pop hit, which succeeds in keeping in line with the contemporary curve while borrowing a few synthy reverb-heavy tones from 80s pop icons.

Any fans of Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke will find themselves instantly enamoured with the arrestive propensities of the chord progressions in Sanctuary. It is safe to say Manuel created yet another radio-ready hit. Jump on it while the hype is hot and embrace one of the most promising pop acts of this era.

Stream Sanctuary on Spotify.

Follow Maria Manuel on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Karan Karma has unveiled his scorcher of a sophomore disco-funk RnB pop hit, Dangerous

Posted on 18 June 2023

The Essex, UK singer-songwriter, Karan Karma, turned up the heat enough to trigger another heatwave with his disco & funk-infused RnB pop sophomore single, Dangerous.

His infectiously salacious soprano vocal lines will make him an instant hit with any fans of the King of Pop, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars and Charlie Puth; he comes into his innovative own through the disco grooves, which are as slick and stylish as the ones found in Red Rum Club’s chart-topping hits.

Reminiscences aside, Karan Karma established himself as one to watch through the precision in the balance between commercial appeal and creative autonomy. Using his own voice instead of assimilating another’s, he’s easily one of the most authentic artists in the UK pop circuit. For more slices of soul, slap him on your radar.

Dangerous is now available to stream on Spotify and YouTube via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK songstress, fii, cut constricting ties in her empowerment-advocating debut, Goodbye

Posted on 19 May 2023
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Fans of Kehlani, Teyana Taylor, and SZA will want to prick their ears up to the empoweringly assuring debut single, Goodbye, from the Milton-Keynes singer-songwriter, fii, who fuses RnB & pop elements across the eras to speak to every generation with her introspective gold lyricality and hook-rife melodies.

The strength in Goodbye is gorgeously multifaceted; the sultry smooth rhythmics and stellar production melded with her soulfully convicting vocal presence affirmed that she’s one to watch. The UK RnB scene is infinitely richer for her elevated contribution.

The lyric “I might get lonely in December but right now I’m better than ever” is a testament to how raw and heartfelt the release is despite the infectious testament that you’re always better off missing the person who an ex pretended to be in the beginning than trying to re-manifest a person who never truly existed.

“Goodbye is inspired by the feeling of relief and freedom after a toxic relationship has ended. I wrote it to encourage myself to get over someone; music was the most cathartic way of dealing with all the confusing feelings. I want my fans to hear it and think, yeah, I’m not scared to say goodbye to a situation that isn’t serving me either.”

Goodbye will hit the airwaves on May 19; catch it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Phil Q left Earth’s orbit with the interstellar RnB single, Supernova

Posted on 24 April 2023

RnB innovator, Phil Q, went interstellar with his latest single, Supernova, which efficaciously added a new trajectory to the evolution of the genre through the scintillatingly contemporary production, the bluesy guitars, and the glisteningly spacey pop elements.

With the trap beats oozing as much sex appeal as the vocal lines and the lyrics, which roadmap the kind of carnal pleasure that is only in reach when you’re in the arms of someone you love, consider Supernova as the ultimate aural aphrodisiac and affirmation that Phil Q is definitively one to watch.

Supernova is the title single from the Bay Area singer-songwriter and producer’s latest EP, which any RnB fan will want to devour completely after the lead single gives you a taste of his meta ingenuity.

Supernova was officially released on April 14. Catch it on Spotify

Review by Amelia Vandergast

AŸA is anything but pedestrian in her jazzy RnB pop single, Sidewalk

Posted on 22 April 2023

Singer-songwriter, producer, and artist AŸA has beguiled the Berlin scene and beyond with her latest RnB pop rendezvous, Sidewalk, which is anything but pedestrian for the way it breaks the monocultural mould by pulling on her Moroccan and Yemeni Roots while keeping the production refreshingly contemporary.

If I’m being honest, I dread the run-up to summer for the swathes of superficial sun-soaked singles that land on my metaphorical desk, but AŸA couldn’t be trite if she tried. The revolutionary soul in the ethereally warm vocal lines melding with the dominant percussion is a lesson in Summer pop alchemy. If the sax lines and the lyrics that narrate a story of romantic stagnation don’t leave you wanting to dive into realms of fulfilment, you may as well hibernate through summer too.

“The lyrics of the song are a metaphor for an ongoing relationship that is actually not going anywhere. Instead of riding into the sunlight with the one you love, you find yourself taking dark paths and compromises for the one you love even though it feels so wrong.”

Sidewalk was written, composed, and produced by AŸA, with help from Kurtis Wells, Johnny Kulo, and Gavriel. Executive production and mixing were taken care of by the #1 Billboard music producer, Ido Poleg, and the single was mastered by the award-winning engineer, Manon Grandjean.

Stream the official music video for Sidewalk on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

KASIA is spellbindingly subversive in her jazzy RnB pop single, Isn’t Love Strange

Posted on 17 April 2023
KASIA

With her hair-raising vocal lines pooling into the ethereal atmosphere of her latest indie alt-pop single that pulls in jazzy RnB motifs, KASIA is spellbinding in Isn’t Love Strange.

Love is lyrically depicted as many things, but strange is far from up there as one of the most common archetypes. Plateauing far above the tired tropes, KASIA tunes into the blurred lines of affection, alluding to how conflicting the transpiring emotions can be. Communicating how fear is often an uninvited guest on the honeymoon of new relationships, KASIA artfully illustrated how much we put on the line when we put our vulnerability in someone else’s hands.

If Isn’t Love Strange was the 1000th song the singer-songwriter had penned, you could colour us impressed; yet it was only the second song written by the natural-born songstress who effortlessly has what it takes to leave the airwaves at her command.

Isn’t Love Strange will officially release on April 17; catch it on on all major platforms.

Review by Amelia Vandergast