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.
In this week’s edition, Yung Bleu arrives with his latest album Moon Boy which presents a collection of weary R&B records focused on the up and downs with love as well as overcoming life’s struggles. Elsewhere, two of 2020’s best acts in R&B — Kehlani and Kiana Lede — team up for their first collaboration titled “Ur Best Friend” while Leon Bridges makes his return after three long years with his third album, Gold-Diggers Sound.
Yung Bleu — Moon Boy
After years of grinding on the mixtape and EP circuit, Alabama singer Yung Bleu earned his spotlight moment last summer thanks to a remix of “You’re Mines Still” with none other than Drake. The track boosted Bleu’s appeal and gave him the necessary launching pad that brings us to this moment: the release of his new album, Moon Boy. Altogether, the project presents 15 tracks and appearances from Kehlani, HER, Jeezy, Gunna, 2 Chainz, John Legend, and more.
Kiana Lede — “Ur Best Friend”
Last year, Kiana Lede and Kehlani released two of 2020’s best R&B projects with Kiki and It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. Now, the two singers have come together for their first collaboration, a somber effort titled “Ur Best Friend.” Kiana described the track as her “dream collab” with Kehlani as they face the consequences of their infidelity which ironically leaves them yearning for additional time with the respective men they had the affair with.
Leon Bridges — Gold-Diggers Sound
Ever since his stellar 2015 debut, Coming Home, Forth Worth, Texas-bred singer Leon Bridges has used his tender voice to create warm ballads about love, growth, struggle, and everything that falls in between. The latest example is his third album, Gold-Diggers Sound. Packaging 11 songs and features from Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, and Ink, Bridges delivers yet another strong body of work inspired by his experiences at the Gold Diggers Studio in East Hollywood, a place he said he made “my home, my escape, and the center of my creative world.”
Tinashe — “I Can See The Future”
Two years removed from Songs For You, her first album as an independent act, Tinashe is ready to continue her journey with her upcoming fifth album, 333. After gracing us with two singles for the project, “Pasadena” with Buddy and “Bouncin,” the singer returns with a third effort. “I Can See The Future” is a bass-driven effort that delivers sultry promises for what’s to come in the future for her and her partner, something she claims to see already.
Chiiild — Hope For Sale
While some aimed to find a good moment to release new music during last year’s pandemic, others used the time to dig for a new source of inspiration for a future body of work. The latter is what we get with Montreal singer Chiiild and his new project, Hope For Sale. As he describes himself, the project represents his journey throughout the last year. “Aiming to cover the whole human experience, I dive into my outlook on life, love, and social justice,” he said in a press release. All in all, Hope For Sale presents 11 songs with features from Mahalia and Jensen McRae.
BJ The Chicago Kid — 4 AM
After delivering a string of singles that featured work with Eric Bellinger and Lucky Daye, BJ The Chicago Kid packages them all together for his new EP, 4 AM. The singer includes his last three singles as well as a new effort titled, “Love You Slow.” The steady slow jam is perfect for some bedroom magic to round out the 4 AM EP.
Samm Henshaw — “Grow” Feat. Tiana Major9
Back in 2019, Samm Henshaw stepped forward with a string of spirited tracks that brightened the mood of anyone who listened to it. Efforts like “Church” with Earthgang and “Only One To Blame” were clear examples and just about two years later, Henshaw continues on this path. Calling on London singer Tiana Major9, the two acts come through with “Grow,” which arrives as an introspective examination of happiness, self-fulfillment, and personal improvement.
Kevin Ross — “Looking For Love”
Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer, Kevin Ross delivers his latest track, “Looking For Love.” It’s a passionate effort that sees the singer extending a hand to that special someone in his life who seeks romance just as much as he does. The song is also a great follow-up to his previous single “God Is A Genius.”
Peyton — PSA
Following years of taking small steps as an artist, Peyton is taking a big one with her debut album, PSA. Its 12 songs find the singer doing her very best to make herself heard while staying absolutely true to herself. “Everything I’m singing feels like my thoughts are pouring out boldly to the world,” she said of the album. The project also brings listeners into the reflective world of Peyton’s attempts to grasp the ever-so-confusing elements of love, friendship, and life itself.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.