Best New R&B

All The Best New R&B Music From This Week

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Sampha 2018 Parklife Festival
Getty Image

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 and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Sampha finally made his return, one that fans waited six years for, with his new single “Spirit 2.0” while The Weeknd warned of the dangers of “False Idols” on his new song with Lil Baby and Suzanna Son. Victoria Monet officially announced her Jaguar II project and HER announced the return of her Lights On Festival for 2023. Elsewhere, Jon Batiste announced his World Music Radio album, Beyoncé dropped limited-edition merch for her Renaissance Tour with Amazon, and Patrick Star from SpongeBob Squarepants is on TikTok singing classic R&B songs thanks to AI.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

Terrace Martin — Fine Tune

On his new album Fine Tune, Terrace Martin has one goal: develop new talent and incorporate the legacy of jazz. Fine Tune is the first of six jazz albums that Martin will release throughout 2023 and this one checks in with 12 songs besides Alex Isley, Keyon Harold, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, James Fauntleroy, and more.

Robert Glasper — “What Love Can Do”

Robert Glasper and Derrick Hodge joined forces to curate the music for season 1 of Run The Girls in 2021. Now they’re back to compose the music for season two the first offering from that batch is here with “What Love Can Do” with Emily King.

Tone Stith — “Girls Like You”

Tone Stith has one of the best voices in the R&B game and it seems like he could be getting ready to release his fifth project. That sign comes with the release of “Girls Like You,” a record that Stith uses to detail the effects that a bad relationship had on his approach to love with future partners.

Jordan Hawkins & DUCKWRTH — “Can’t Fake What You Feel”

Jordan Hawkins is just a few months removed from the release of his 4Play EP, but that isn’t stopping him from sharing new music. He’s back with “Can’t Fake What You Feel” with DUCKWRTH which strikes as an upbeat number perfect to groove to this summer.

Ryan Trey — “Ain’t Even Friends” Feat. Mariah The Scientist

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from Ryan Trey, but the Kentucky native is finally back with his new single “Ain’t Even Friends” alongside Mariah The Scientist. Together, the singers blend their talents for a reflective record about a love they lost in their lives.

Kenyon Dixon — “Lucky”

Kenyon Dixon is having quite the active year. He dropped a remix of Jon Vinyl’s “Pressure,” shared his “Slow Dancing” single with Kincy, and later shared a remix of it with Kevin Ross. Now he’s back with “Lucky,” a song that sees Dixon praise a new woman in his life and all the qualities that made him fall in love with her.

Sekou — Out Of Mind

Meet UK singer Sekou who has slowly made waves in the rising R&B community and now he’s arrived with his debut project Out Of Mind. Through its five songs, Sekou blends jazz and pop with R&B for what strikes as a captivating body of work. “I wanted to have creative freedom on this and do something different from what I’ve done before,” Sekou said about the project.

Spinall — “Loju” Feat. Wizkid

Four months after releasing his Top Boy album, producer Spinall returns to team up with Wizkid for a third time with their new song “Loju.” The vibrant record is matched with a colorful video that’s set at a house party flushed with flashy cars and beautiful dancers.

Reggie Becton, Slim & Ye Ali — “Rm. 143 (Rm112 Remix)” Feat. 112

After reaching 10 million streams with “Rm. 143,” Reggie Becton is celebrating the feat with a remix of the track that features Slim 112 and Ye Ali. It’s a smooth blend of yesterday’s and today’s R&B that’s boosted by a bad-boy intro from Ye Ali.

Elmiene — “Mad At Fire”

Elmiene is just three months removed from his El-Mean EP, but now the singer has found himself a new home. Elmiene just inked a deal with Def Jam, and with that, came the release of his new single “Mad At Fire.” Co-written with Syd and Lil Silva, Elmiene’s voice fills up the room through a blend of soul and avant-garde electronic music.

Lah Pat — “Kamikaze”

Months removed from getting a boost thanks to the remix of “Rodeo” with Flo Milli, Lah Pat is back in action with his new single “Kamikaze.” The New Orleans-born and Houston-based singer delivers a seductive banger that dips a toe into ’90s neo-soul.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Chlöe Lands Right Where She Needs To On The Freeing ‘In Pieces’

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Chloe 'In Pieces' artwork
Columbia/Parkwood

In 2021, Chlöe flapped her wings and flew out of her nest. This “nest” is representative of more than one thing in her life – her Chloe x Halle duo with sister Halle Bailey and the sonic landscape that made up her previous records are among them. For the first half of that year at least, Chlöe was independent of both. Halle spent the first six months of 2021 in London filming The Little Mermaid live-action film. This marked the first time that the two were apart for such a long period of time. It was during this time that Chlöe also became more experimental with her music and more comfortable with showing off her body on social media. The latter resulted in extended and unfounded criticism from people at home, and it continued for the next two years. They took swipes at everything from her music, her posts, her performances, and more in this new and continuously building era of independence for the 25-year-old singer.

For the most part, Chlöe didn’t set out to correct her detractors, mainly because they rained in before long before she could finish a body of work to present to the world. It’s like criticizing a painter on their overall canvas after a few brushstrokes. Critics of her music often pointed to her success with Chloe x Halle forgetting that the duo is also comprised of Halle Bailey who had a hand in their success with projects like Ungodly Hour, so, of course, things were different. Though it may not be her intentional goal to prove her haters wrong, she does get a kick out of accomplishing it along with other goals. “I love proving people wrong,” she said in her Uproxx cover story in August 2022. “One day, I hope people can really get to see who I truly am as a human being as opposed to this facade of a person that they think I am.” At long last, the opportunity to do so arrived with her debut album In Pieces.

There are plenty of things that In Pieces highlights in favor of Chlöe’s artistry. Through its 14 songs, we see that underneath the feisty, captivating, and bubbly young woman, lies one that is still recovering from heartbreak. Unlike most albums centered on heartbreak, Chlöe doesn’t grant us a view into the days before the pains in love on In Pieces. Rather, impulsive reactions and thoughts are at center stage to start things off. “Pray It Away” marks the first fully-composed piece of music on the album and Chlöe shows the maturity to let karma sort itself out with help from the glorious echoes of a choir. That record spills into the uptempo and bouncy “Body Do” that, sans a slightly jarring intro, succeeds in reminding us of Chlöe’s versatility. There, she decides to use an unfaithful man for the one thing they’re good for in their final days together. In both cases, Chlöe acknowledges that the first step in heartbreak is to pick up the broken pieces, but what to do with them next is the journey that unwinds on In Pieces with emotive highs and lows, confrontations with self and others, and most importantly, growth.

In Pieces succeeds in many areas just from a musical standpoint. “I Don’t Mind” tantalizes with the flavor of fluttering guitar strings as Chlöe climbs the scale with the effortless agility of a ninja warrior. She swoops low in her warm-up towards a near-whisper hook that grazes the sky to pluck at the clouds. ”Feel Me Cry” is a well-executed double entendre that dazzles with Chlöe’s cries for the emotional connection that only the comfort of physical touch, especially in the sexual sense, can provide. That along with “Make It Look Easy” are by far the best all-around composed songs on the album. The latter record is layered in such an encapsulating way that it carries a meaning applicable to more than one subject. When she sings, “Can I be honest with you?” it’s a question directed at a significant other in her life and the general world that tried to break her down into pieces over the past couple of years. The openness and honesty in this record present a woman who’s learned to leave a bad situation and not indulge in the last good pieces of it as we see on “Body Do.” Lines like “Overthinkin’ always in my head / Hate bein’ alone, there’s nowhere to run / So, I’ll pretend that I’m all good instead,” prove that while the spotlight brightens what is great, it also manages to do the same for one’s imperfections.

On Chlöe’s debut album In Pieces, there’s a bit more to take away about the singer’s artistic direction than about the project’s musicality. On the latter front, the project is not as captivating as one may have hoped for a singer with such a fairly incomparable and undoubtedly commanding voice that has the ability to construct a story of growth and empowerment as we see on the album. Despite this, it appears that Chlöe’s foundational goal with In Pieces was to simply break from her detractors and prove that she can fly away from what once held her down. Chlöe did just that and landed right where she needed to. It’s exhibited through the compassionate and self-serving “Looze U,” the stern and hair-flipping “Told Ya” with Missy Elliott, and the juxtaposing “Cheatback” with music’s toxic king, Future. There’s room for improvement, and being that many listeners were once 24-year-olds looking to figure it all out, Chlöe will fair just fine. For her, there’s a better chance than not that she hits a bullseye in future go-arounds. For now with In Pieces, we and Chlöe can find resolve in knowing that the pieces are now whole again.

In Pieces is out now via Columbia Records and Parkwood Entertainment. You can stream it here.

Masego Is A Journeyman Who Trusts The Music To Guide Him On His Savory Self-Titled Album

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Masego 'Masego' review
EQT Recordings/Capitol Records

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Masego’s approach to music has always been as smooth as the sweet symphonies that leave the end of his trademark saxophone. His cool demeanor has produced records as out-of-the-box as “Old Age,” as funky as “Girls That Dance,” and as flavorful as “Silver Tongue Devil.” With a smirk and the crack of a smile, Masego can step to the mic and do whatever he wants – successfully at that.

His 2018 debut album Lady Lady was a formal introduction to Masego the person. The 25-year-old singer at the time was full of youth which produced an album that portrayed his witty, flirtatious, and at times, tender-hearted persona. His 2020 project Studying Abroad balanced the highs and lows of love with a tropical backdrop that nearly distracted you from his qualms in romance. Nearly three years after that project’s release, Masego returned with his self-titled sophomore album which is a wonderful blend of the best elements in his discography. With Masego, the “Tadow” singer dances through the unfulfilled aspects of his life while also noting that music will always be the least of his worries.

Masego is the project I’ve always wanted from Masego. Though its 14 tracks have yet to exist in the world for more than a week, the elements that make up its full composition are so strong that when combined, it requires the “magnum opus” title to be bestowed upon it. Give it time and you’ll see that to be true. Studying Abroad is a body of work that resulted from Masego pushing himself out of his comfort zone to learn and experience new blends, tones, and so much more with music. Masego is the result of those learnings when combined with the sturdy foundation that Masego built upon to become the dazzling singer and instrumentalist that we know him to be today. If Lady Lady and Studying Abroad had a missing puzzle piece between them, Masego would be that piece.

This is evident through records like “You Never Visit Me” which combines elements of jazz and funk with the freeing feeling of riding in a convertible on a sunny day with your hands in the air. Its chorus is available for a fun call-and-response moment for an audience because of the changes in Masego’s tone throughout each line. Then there’s “Say You Want Me” which is steered by tropical drums and the same inspiration that blanketed Studying Abroad. It’s flavorful and tantalizing as Masego weaves through elements of afrobeats and dancehall to reel a woman into his bed after she knocked him off his seat. These warm records make up a slim percentage of the whole album, and it’s for that reason that they’re so refreshing and noteworthy when their turn comes on Masego.

Though the music isn’t a concern on Masego, nor is it for Masego himself, there is a bit of grappling that the singer is left to do in other areas of life. The failed reciprocation of love is the overbearing issue for Masego on his sophomore album. “You Play With My Heart” sounds like it’s set at a diner where Masego sits and dwells to no end about a woman who was unserious at best about loving him. Steam from a presumably hot drink floats to his face as he wearily sings about his latest qualms in romance. “You play you with my heart / I lay in the dark,” he croons. “You play with my heart / You were dancin’ with a star.” Moments before, Masego put his wit on display on “Afraid Of Water” for a double entendre that paints a shallow woman with nothing to offer beyond the surface as someone who can’t swim and fears the blue waters. Even when he does find someone suitable for himself, it ends with their departure and Masego’s disappointment as we see on “Down In The Dumps.” Car notes could’ve been paid and trips to Monte Carlo could’ve been taken, yet their premature exit – which has Masego in his feelings – has caused them to miss out on it all.

Right there, another aspect of Masego comes alive. The expectations Masego had for fame are far from reality. “Remembering Sundays” is a weary reflection of the days before the fame when serenity and tranquility were easier to come by. He doesn’t miss it per se, but his current lifestyle has made him more appreciative of it. His quarrels with fame spill into the combative “Who Cares Anyway” for a swing at the so-called tastemakers and critics that have misunderstood and attempted to box in the ever-so-diverse and genre-spanning singer. If you couldn’t tell that Masego is a man of music and nothing more, this record is proof of that. “I mean, yeah, we getting money / Yeah, we getting notoriety,” he quips. “But nowadays y’all looking real, real dumb / I had to say something.” Moments of appreciation for his position aren’t hard to find on Masego. “Sax Fifth Avenue” is a playful pun on “Saks Fifth Avenue” and a salute to his trustee saxophone that has earned him the attention that performing on Saks Fith Avenue could bring. As the album concludes, “In Style” opens the gates for a triumphant and sax-laden ode to the spotlight he currently stands in.

Masego spotlights the musician that is Masego. At nearly 30 years old, the singer is a seasoned journeyman who trusts the music to guide him to his destination. Sure, he’s still working to grasp the elusive concepts of dating and fame, but at least there’s something that can aid him in recognizing and expressing the successes and failures within it. While many use a self-titled project for their official introduction to the music world, Masego waited nearly a decade into his career to do that. There’s probably a good reason for that, but I’d have to guess that it has something to do with this being the perfect encapsulation of everything that makes Masego, Masego. So with every blare of the saxophone, croon of the voice, and witty lyrics, know that Masego has mastered the music, and evidence of that lives within the hypnotizing elements of Masego.

Masego is out now via EQT Recordings/Capitol Records. Find more information here.