Ari Lennox

Ari Lennox’s songs have gained millions of streams with numbers climbing every day. She is one of the most popular names in R&B right now. Ari and her Dreamville label mates did the soundtrack for the new Creed III movie. She put out her latest project age/sex/location in September 2022. She’s also currently on tour promoting this album. It’s safe to say that she is currently booked and busy. Many fans have been riding with her for a while and are very glad to see her reach the level she has. They know she will only go up even more from here. Many fans do their part by listening to her music every day. We’ve compiled and reviewed 10 of her most streamed songs.

#10 Greater – Ari Lennox

Ari is no stranger to having a song on a compilation album. She’s on Revenge of the Dreamers III: Director’s Cut and D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape with solo tracks and posse cuts. This time around she’s on a solo track. The song only has one verse which brings the main focus to the song’s hook. Ari glides through it by using various inflections and vocalizations as she sings it. Her background vocals compliment these moments well as she showcases the power of her voice. In these moments, her range is on display as the passion comes through on the lead and background vocals too. Meanwhile, there are strings and other cinematically pleasing instruments playing in the production that compliment her voice well.

#9 Waste My Time – Ari Lennox

This is one of Ari Lennox’s most recent songs. It’s likely one you’ve heard on the radio. Like many songs in Ari’s catalog, it speaks on an aspect of relationships many people can relate to. She takes a direct approach to telling her partner to follow up on the things they have said they want to do with her. The song’s hook sticks with listeners due to its repetition but not to the point of being annoying. This repetition comes in at the song’s final moments. Throughout the song, background vocals enhance Ari’s lead ones. Her vocals also carry the main melody of the song which is more understated in the subtle keys in the production. The drums seem to be the main focus which make the song sound great on speakers and headphones. 

#8 Can’t Make You Change – JID feat. Ari Lennox

Whenever labelmates make a song together, it’s always exciting to see. As most know, Ari Lennox and JID are both on J. Cole’s label, Dreamville. However, this is not the first time they have been on a song together. On this song, Ari brings the counterpart to the perspective JID is speaking from. She speaks of wanting him to change his behavior but also knows no matter what he she does, he won’t. Ari’s vocals on the bridge shift to the perspective JID is speaking from. Throughout the song, there are soundbites of women speaking about the shortcomings of their partner. Their words expand from what Ari sings. One thing that sticks out is how this song has a beat switch where JID shares his side of things at length.

#7 Queen Space – Ari Lennox (with Summer Walker)

This is Ari and Summer Walker’s second song together chronologically however, it is the first one on this list. It’s a newer track on this list so its streaming numbers are lower than their first collab. However, this is not a reflection of the quality of the song. The song’s piano gives it a live performance feeling. Ari’s vocals dip in and out on the hook as she does a start-stop delivery. Summer comes in on the second half the song and does the same thing towards the end of her verse. As Ari comes back in on the hook, Summer provides background vocalizations that enhance the mood of the song well. Their vocals blend excellently as they both have a soft tone that escalates as the song progresses. This is seen most prominently in the song’s final moments as the drums drop out and the piano and their vocals are the only things that can be heard. 

#6 Unloyal – Summer Walker (with Ari Lennox)

This Ari Lennox song has a unique feeling to it. Due to the production, it sounds like it’s being performed in a lounge at night. This feeling is capitalized on by the saxophone solo at the halfway point of the song. Summer’s verses on the first half have her speaking her truth on her place in a relationship. Rather than going for large displays of vocal range, she focuses on a straightforward delivery. However, she does utilize some background vocals to reinforce the points she’s making and Ari mirrors this technique on her verse. Summer begins the song and Ari comes in on the second half.However, on the first half, Summer sings the hook and on the second half, Ari does. This song was highly anticipated by many listeners once they saw Ari’s name as a feature on the tracklist. 

#5 Pressure – Ari Lennox

This is one of Ari’s most popular radio songs. It’s one of those songs that once you hear it, it gets stuck in your head. The way the vocals say “Pressure!” throughout the hook are an earworm for sure. The pace of the song plays a huge role in how well it sticks. There’s a certain bounce to it that makes it feel vintage and modern at the same time. The guitar in the song plays well with the delivery of Ari’s verses as she flows through the guitar’s more rigid notes. One of the most surprising aspects of this song is that Jermaine Dupri has production credits on it. It’s always a big deal when someone from a past generation of music works with someone in the current generation. It shows they have faith in the music and where it will take listeners next.

#4 Scenic Drive – Khalid (feat. Ari Lennox & Smino)

This is another song in Ari Lennox’s discography where she is the feature. However, the song she’s on is quite significant as it is the title track for Khalid’s project. The song is the last one on it as it ties the theme of the project together. Ari’s verse on the track is brief but effective. Her double entendres fit the theme of the song while simultaneously referring to her usual subject matter. At the conclusion of her verse, her delivery speeds up a little, again, continuing the theme of driving. Her background vocals can still be heard once her verse ends as Khalid sings the hook. Towards the end of this portion, the two of them vocalize together however, Ari’s vocals are still layered under/behind his.

#3 Night Drive – Ari Lennox

This is the only song on this list from Ari Lennox’s project titled Pho EP. This song – and the project itself – are familiar to those who have been supporting her from the very beginning. This is one that mirrors the theme of the previous entry on this list. However, on this one the atmosphere of the drive is a little different. Here, the tone is not fully romantic as the person Ari is with is no longer officially in a relationship with her. However, because of the history they have she still wants to move forward with them. There’s a certain soulful feeling to the song due to the  horns in it and they blend well with modern subject matter. There’s also keys and bass in the song that give it a slight live instrumentation feeling. 

#2 BMO – Ari Lennox

This is a song many Ari Lennox fans know. While it is one of the shortest ones on this list, that’s not a con. It’s a song that gets its point across well and finishes once the point has been made. BMO stands for “Break Me Off” and Ari tells us what she means by that in the song. Something interesting about this song is the fact that listeners almost never got to hear it in the first place. The beat for the song was a little different but once Ari’s manager heard it, producer Omen changed up the production a little and the song transformed. Ari has performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has released a remix of it with Doja Cat. The bass line of the song is what many people love about it and this is exactly the part Omen added to it to transform it into what is heard today. 

#1 Shea Butter Baby – Ari Lennox (with J. Cole)

For many people, this was their introduction to Ari Lennox’s songs. And, one of two things likely pulled them in: the song title or J. Cole’s feature. Many people are well aware of how J.Cole only works with artists who make high-quality music. Seeing him on a feature with someone you may not be unfamiliar with means you should get familiar with them. Meanwhile, this song title itself caught many people’s interest. The benefits of shea butter are not exactly a “secret” but it’s still something only real ones know about/use. The song itself is as smooth and warm as the moisturizer itself. Cole brings an intimate verse that compliments Ari’s soulful vocals. Neo-soul songs have a certain feeling that comes with them and this song has that feeling for sure. 

Which of Ari Lennox’s songs are your favorite? Let us know in the comment section.

[Via]