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.
PartyNextDoor returned with his second single of the year, “Resentment,” and confirmation that his PartyNextDoor 4 project is on the way while Mahalia revealed the tracklist to her IRL album. Janelle Monaé and Megan Thee Stallion gave a twerking “boot camp” at Essence Festival and the former also shared a video for “Water Slide.” Elsewhere, SZA revealed new details about her “Kill Bill” video and 6lack released an AI-generated Since I Have A Lover soundscape.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
PartyNextDoor — “Resentment”
The road towards PartyNextDoor 4 continues, and while we’ll have to wait a bit for the next project, PartyNextDoor returns with his new single “Resentment.” It strikes as a record that slighted lovers all over the world will relate to as PartyNextDoor releases the resentment he holds against a past lover.
FLO – 3 Of Us
FLO’s fans have been begging for new music, and though they’re hard at work completing their debut album, the British singing trio was kind enough to bless their supporters. They dropped off the 3 Of Us EP complete with three songs, a feature from Bellah, and music that’s a promising preview for their upcoming album.
Mahalia — “Ready”
At the end of this week, British singer Mahalia will release her sophomore album IRL (In Real Life). As a final act before that project’s release, she returns with the album’s opening track “Ready” which joins “Terms And Conditions” and “Cheat” with JoJo as the album’s previous singles.
Jon Vinyl & Jeremy Passion — “Thinkin Bout You”
A couple of months after giving us his “No Feelings” single, Jon Vinyl teams up with singer Jeremy Passion for their new effort “Thinkin Bout You.” The sultry single is a confessional effort that Vinyl and Passion use to lay out their feelings about a lover in hopes that they feel the same way about them.
Kendra Jae — “Count Your Blessings”
Sacramento singer Kendra Jae began her year with “Risky” and “Stutter” beside Mozzy, and now she’s back with “Count Your Blessings.” With her latest effort, Jae is fierce and confident as she warns a new lover to appreciate and value what they have before it’s gone.
FrvrFriday — “Summer’s Up”
FrvrFriday’s first solo release of the year came last month with “Said+Done” and the follow-up to that is here with “Summer’s Up.” The uptempo production is blended with FrvrFriday’s moody vocals for a record that dares to push the limits of what’s in store for him on summer nights.
LateNightJiggy — “Favorite”
Less than a year removed from his Flavors 3 project, LateNightJiggy is back in action with his new single “Favorite.” Here, LateNightJiggy contemplates focusing on one girl rather than the multiple he has. He admits to having a favorite, and at this point, he just wants his No. 1.
Laya — “F’d Up”
With a new project Bet That on the way, Staten Island singer Laya is getting the ball rolling with her new single “F’d Up.” “Time to put haters on their back and tell ’em, quit with all that cap — because you got me f*cked up,” Laya says of the new track, which arrives after her 2022 EP Um, Hello
Che — “Someone”
Philly native Che is ready to shake up the year with his new single “Someone.” It’s his first single of the year and its lands as a dark yet passionate release that Che uses to capture the realization he has after finding the woman he’s been looking for.
Cherise — Calling
Just a couple of years after her Remedy EP, singer Cherise is back with her debut full-length project Calling. Through 12 tracks the London native and Vocalist of the Year by the Parliamentary Jazz Awards winner but her artistic growth and talents on display.
Bella Shmurda — “DND” Feat. Lil Kesh
At the end of the month, Nigerian afrobeats singer Bella Shmurda will release his DND EP. Ahead of its release, Bella Shmurda connected with Lil Kesh for the EP’s title track which captures the main theme Shmurda will have on the EP.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.