Last October, Alex Vaughn blessed our ears with The Hurtbook, on which her sweet and soulful voice rings out over eight featureless tracks. After leaving that to digest with listeners through late 2022 and into the new year, she returned this New Music Friday (March 17), with the Homegirl Pack version of her project, which boasts some seriously impressive guest features. For one, we hear her LVRN labelmate Summer Walker on the “So Be It (Remix),” which has already been streamed upwards of 4.5 million times on Spotify.
Dreamville’s own Ari Lennox comes through on the next title, “Demon Time (Remix),” which beautifully blends her voice with Vaughn as they trade raunchy verses over the silky smooth beat. “Love it when I’m drippin’ on you, grabbin’ on my neck / Watchin’ you, watchin’ mе, I’m the best you evеr had,” the “Needs” songstress croons on the refrain.
Alex Vaughn and Ari Lennox are Operating on “Demon Time”
For her part, Lennox sings about her incessant hunger for a jaguar, whom she’s willing to climb a tree for. “Talking to some dudes, but I’m f*ckin’ you / Satisfied / Oven toast you right for that creamy pipe / Let it stay inside,” her flirtatious lyrics continue before both women come together to make music magic on the chorus.
Elsewhere on her updated project, Vaughn tapped singer-songwriter Muni Long to help her with “IYKYK.” As expected from the two beauties, the track is quickly picking up traction and earning the praise it deserves online. “Thank you so much @arilennox @munilong @summerwalker for sharing your gifts w me on this project,” the young starlet wrote on Instagram earlier this weekend. “I am so grateful. y’all are SUPERHEROS.”
Stream Alex Vaughn’s “Demon Time” collaboration with Ari Lennox on YouTube above. Afterward, tell us what your top three favourite tracks from The Hurtbook (Homegirl Pack) are in the comments. For more release recommendations, be sure to check out our weekly R&B Season update here.
In case you didn’t know, Priscilla Renea Hamilton is Muni Long. Priscilla Renea is Muni Long as well. And yes, Priscilla Hamilton is Muni Long! You may have seen these names and thought they were different people, but they are all one person. One amazingly talented Florida artist.
Muni Long has been in the game for a while now. She got her first start in 2008 on the song “Here I Am” by the girl group, Girlicious. When she was on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, she recalled having the opportunity to get in the studio with Drake. Throughout the years, Long has gained notoriety as a songwriter, even being a part of the Academy Awards committee.
Let’s take a look at the songs Muni Long has co-written.
Your Favorite Artists
Muni Long has worked with some of the biggest artists in R&B. A few of the artists she has worked with might be your favorite. In 2010, she worked with Barbados singer Rihanna on her album, Loud. She was on the team that helped write the song, “California King Bed”, a combination of R&B and rock. Long also provided the background vocals for the “break-up” single.
The following year, she worked with the “Umbrella” artist’s former flame, Chris Brown. She helped write his hit, “Beg for It”, which was included on the deluxe edition of his fourth studio album, F.A.M.E. The Public Displays of Affection Too artist was called upon again by Breezy for his follow up to F.A.M.E. His hit song, “Don’t Wake Me Up”, was written in one night, to which Long attributed to.
Mary J. Blige was next on the list as the Florida singer helped Blige write “Don’t Mind”. This was the last single off her album, My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1), but wasn’t the last time the two have worked together. They came together for two songs off the soundtrack for the movie, Think Like A Man Too, “Wonderful” and “Kiss and Make Up”.
Long ended up getting the opportunity to write for Mariah Carey a few years later. In 2015, she contributed to “Infinity” off Carey’s compilation album, #1 to Infinity. The “Hrs and Hrs” singer worked with the Grammy winning artist again in 2018. She helped write “A No No”, a song that sampled “Crush on You” by Lil Kim. Just like in “California King Bed”, Long provided background vocals here as well.
Muni Long is Versatile
Priscilla Renae can make music with anyone. She has proven throughout her career as she has worked with artists across different genres. In 2011, Muni Long served as the lone songwriter on two songs by Selena Gomez and her band the Scene. “Bang Bang Bang” and “Who Says” are two different songs as the songwriter switches up from Electro-disco to pop, respectively.
Long continued on this wave when she worked with Madonna, the following year. She serves as one of the writers on the “Material Girl”’s single, “Gang Bang”. “Gang Bang” is a mix of techno, electronic, dance, and pop.
In 2013, Long was tasked to help write Pitbull’s hit song, “Timber” featuring Kesha. The popular song was a mix of EDM, dance-pop, folktronica, and country. She helped write pop group Fifth Harmony’s hit, “Worth It” featuring Kid Ink in 2015 and followed it up next year on “Write on Me”.
After working with a legend in Mariah Carey in 2018, the 34-year-old singer also worked with pop superstar Ariana Grande later on that year. For her fifth studio album, Grande tapped Long for “imagine”. After its success, the two linked up again in 2020 for two songs off her album, Positions, “six thirty” and “just like magic”.
Pop star Nick Jonas got a chance to write two songs with Muni Long from his album, Last Year Was Complicated, “Bacon” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and “Touch” both have a mix of R&B and Pop.
She has also worked with Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, and the Florida Georgia Line.
Evidently, there’s not a genre she can’t do.
Hitmaker
Long before Muni Long released “Hrs and Hrs”, she saw chart success. Long has surely been a part of some hits! ”California King Bed” is a 2x platinum song topping the charts worldwide in countries like Switzerland and the United Kingdom. ”Worth It” is 4x platinum with its highest ranking coming in at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She helped Fifth Harmony to be the first United States girl group to have a top 20 hit in 6 years at the time.
One of her biggest contributions was to “Timber”. Pitbull’s hit song was amongst Billboard’s Top 100 Songs of the Decade. It was number one on the Hot 100 chart for three weeks straight! ”Timber” is a certified Diamond song, which Long can put on her resume when many artists can’t .
In 2017, Muni Long can say she won a Grammy. She had her hands all over Kelly Clarkson’s hit song, “Love So Soft”, as it won Best Solo Pop Performance at the 60th Academy awards. Long is one of three songwriters, and also is credited for background vocals and vocal production.
Many of the “Time Machine” singer’s contributions have hit the charts or are still on the charts around the world. She’s a hitmaker and a winner!
Let us know which Muni Long songs are your favorite in the comments!
Muni Long has put in the work. Her career began as Priscilla Renea, her real name, and included solo hits like 2009’s “Dollhouse.” She became a prolific songwriter for the likes of Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Meek Mill, Nick Jonas, and too many more.
But since changing her stage name to Muni Long in 2020, her artistry has reached new heights, and she’s making sure everybody knows her name in more ways than one. Maybe you’ve just now learned of her after “Hrs & Hrs” won Best R&B Performance at last Sunday’s 2023 Grammys. If you’re unsure how to pronounce Muni Long, all you have to do is look up her Instagram profile, and she literally spells it out for you: “MUH-Knee LONG .”
And if you need further translation, Muni Long is pronounced “Money Long.”
Long debuted her new identity with Black Like This in 2020, and then came Public Displays Of Affection in 2021. “Hrs & Hrs” became her first Billboard Hot 100 entry by early 2022 (peaking at No. 16), around the same time Uproxx caught up with Long.
“My intention is not to go viral or have everybody love what I’m doing, I really don’t care,” she told us in January 2022. “I couldn’t care less about that part. I think that’s part of the magic, right? It was like a balance between focusing on what you want and attracting it and then creating that distance so it’s like you’re not desperate for it when it comes to you. I’m just excited that I finally figured out that formula because I know that that means I can do this over and over again.”
Long added in the same interview, “Even the name Muni Long is an affirmation. My whole life is centered around attracting the best possible out of this universe, and you can’t do that when you have any type of blockages or animosity. Of course, you need darkness in order for life to exist and vice versa, but I just choose to be the light and that’s really the biggest thing.”
It’s no secret that the Recording Academy has faced a diversity problem for many years. This time around, they’ve made some intentional inclusive strides. This year, they invited about “2,000 diverse music creators and professionals” into the voting process — according to CEO Harvey Mason Jr. — nearly half of whom are under the age of 40. Another key change the Recording Academy has made to the Grammys is expanding their major categories to include ten nominees. That’s double the number of nominees they had four years ago, allowing musicians of many different genres to earn much-deserved recognition.
That means there are ten artists up for the coveted Best New Artist trophy in 2023, and Spotify’s Best New Artist showcase placed the category’s diversity on full display. The event brought all ten artists to the stage — Anitta, Omar Apollo, Domi & JD Beck, Muni Long, Samara Joy, Latto, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle, and Wet Leg — at Los Angeles’ Pacific Design Center on Thursday, February 2nd. Each musician was able to give the audience a taste of their talent, and each performance was wildly different from the last.
The night kicked off with an intimate set from Domi & DJ Beck. The young duo, who are 22 and 19 respectively, juxtaposed their smooth, jazz-leaning sound with their brightly colored personal style. Samara Joy kept the loungey jazz going by showing off her entrancing vocals and putting her own unique spin on a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Americana folk rocker Molly Tuttle wow’d with her hit track “Crooked Trees,” joined by an adept banjo player and an upright bass guitarist. Tobe Nwigwe and his entourage made clever use of the stage by dressing in matching mint green outfits and enticing the crowd to harmonize before Omar Apollo similarly led a tender sing-along to his soulful number “Evergreen.”
When it came time for overseas rock, Måneskin and indie rock favorites Wet Leg did not disappoint. Italian Eurovision Song Contest winners Måneskin exuded the cool factor, making the audience forget they were in a small venue and not witnessing a stadium tour. Wet Leg closed out the night in a similar fashion, hyping up the crowd with a rendition of “Chaise Longe” that inspired a small-but-mighty mosh pit.
Spotify’s event also allowed attendees to see how a handful of the Best New Artist nominees aren’t just musicians, they’re seasoned performers. Anitta, Muni Long, and Latto made use of the entire stage with a crew of talented backup dancers. Long, a Def Jam signee whose track “Hrs & Hrs” had viral stint on TikTok, brought four male dancers to the stage to deliver moves reminiscent of the ’90s boyband era. Anitta also brought the energy. Though the Brazilian pop star is used to gracing massive festival stages across the world, she still managed to deliver a show-stopping performance to the (relatively) small crowd with tracks like “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Envolver.”
From rap and Latin pop to bluegrass, jazz, and stadium rock, the 2023 Best New Artist category is nothing if not varied in sound. And no matter who ends up taking home the category’s trophy on Sunday, Spotify’s Best New Artist party made one thing clear: The Recording Academy is making an effort celebrate music from all genres equally.
Over a year since the arrival of her smash hit single, “Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long continues to find new ways to reimagine the same track. At the end of January, the singer-songwriter shared the Spanish version. It’s titled “Horas y Horas,” and recently landed alongside a new track exclusively on Spotify.
As Vibe reports, The Avila Brothers reimagined the production, which finds the vocalist asking “¿Pero te puedo cantar…en español?” or, “But can I sing to you… in Spanish?” as the sultry music begins.
Muni Long speaks onstage at Celebrating GRAMMY Nominee: Muni Long at The GRAMMY Museum on January 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Later on she continues with lyrics like, “Lo tuyo, es mío, ahora / Puedo hacer esto por horas,” and “Sentar y hablarte aquí por horas / Regalarte unas rosas.”
The new take of “Hrs & Hrs” finally arrived alongside “Superstar” a few days ago. The latter finds Long once again sharing her beautiful voice – this time in English.
“Don’t you remember you told me you love me baby? / You said you’ll be coming back this way again, baby,” she floats over the chorus. “I love you / I really do.”
Thus far, both tracks have received a primarily positive audience reaction. Seeing listeners gush over the Spanish version isn’t entirely surprising, seeing as the original single was nominated for both Best R&B Song and Performance at the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards.
Additionally, Long also earned a nod for Best New Artist alongside names like Latto, Tobe Nwigwe, and Måneskin, just to name a few.
While she’s best known by her stage name, Muni’s real name is Pricilla Renea. Speaking with Billboard, she explained how she finds the difference between those two identities.
“I think I was so unaware as Priscilla, I was just doing stuff. As Muni Long, I’m aware, I’m intentional. I took two years off between my last project that I put out as Priscilla to when I started my label [Supergiant] from 2018 to 2020,” she recalled.
“As Muni, I really put on about 15 different hats and I compartmentalize. And I just chipped away at the tree and started building this world totally different, like night and day. It literally was like a reset.”
Stream Muni Long’s “Horas y Horas” exclusively on Spotify below. Afterward, tell us which of the two tracks you prefer in the comment section.
Quotable Lyrics:
Lo tuyo, es mío, ahora Puedo hacer esto por horas Sentar y hablarte aquí por horas Regalarte unas rosas
Voting season has begun for iHeartRadio’s annual music award show. Read on to see the list of nominees within Hip-hop and R&B, including Queen Bey, Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Drake, Doja Cat, Latto, and more. iHeartMedia released its list of nominees for its 10th annual award show. Here are all the hip-hop and R&B artists bestowed […]
Last night (December 13), Muni Long stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for a killer performance of her song, “Time Machine.”
On the Fallon stage, Long arrived dressed in a shimmery, metallic, robot suit, as she sang about regret and still missing her ex.
“Wish I had a time machine / Baby, if I had a time machine / I would hop inside my time machine / And rearrange history / Get rid of some of these memories / Anything that ain’t servin’ me / I wish I had a time machine / Go back to when you lied to me,” Long sings on the song’s chorus.
It’s been a big year for Long, who, after over a decade of working behind the scenes as a songwriter under the moniker Priscilla Renea, had a breakthrough moment after her song “Hrs And Hrs” went viral on TikTok. Long is nominated for three Grammys at next year’s ceremony, including Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “Hrs And Hrs,” as well as the coveted Best New Artist award.
Long has been nominated in the past as a songwriter, but her current slate of nominations marks the first time she’s been nominated for work that she’s performed herself. In an interview with Billboard, Long revealed how she reacted to the news of her nominations.
“…I definitely cried for a couple of minutes because it was a relief,” Long said. “I feel really good. I feel very grateful. And it’s historic. My age [Long is 34], spending my own money, coming from my background — it was unheard-of stuff. I’m super grateful that the conversation is happening and that people are watching me and then the messages I get about people being inspired and they really do have stars in their eyes watching me, and that feels amazing.”
Check out the performance of “Time Machine” above.
Whether or not you’re an active user on the platform, you can not deny the impact of the social media platform TikTok. From legacy acts like Dolly Parton joining the site to funny one-off collaborations, the platform has proven to be a dominant force in today’s music scene.
Many rising acts, including Bronx rapper Ice Spice, have TikTok to thank for their boom in popularity. Like Spotify’s Wrapped list, TikTok has released its data for the year to provide the music power rankings.
In a statement, TikTok’s Chief Operating Officer, Vanessa Pappas, shared her excitement about this year’s list, “We’re honored to celebrate our global community who shaped this year’s trends, shared new ideas, learned from one another, and turned their passions into careers and livelihoods throughout 2022.”
At the top of their emerging artists’ list is the “Munch” rapper, and in the second position is “Bad Habits” singer Steve Lacy.
Budding music star Bailey Zimmerman came in at number three with the help of his single, “Rock and A Hard Place.” Pop singer JVKE’s “Golden Hour” secured him the fourth slot. Finally, former American Idol contestant Benson Boone arrived at the number five position due to his song “Ghost Town.”
Thanks to “F.N.F.,” Memphis rapper GloRilla secured the number six slot, whereas “Big Energy” landed Atlanta’s Latto at seven.
Grammy Award winners Omar Apollo and Muni Long, then Anees close out the last three spots. Apollo’s viral hit was “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All).” Long’s viral hit was “Hrs and Hrs.” Anees’ viral hit was “Sun and Moon.”
