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 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 column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
PartyNextDoor finally returned with an official release date for PartyNextDoor 4 and dropped his new single “Real Woman.” Halle Bailey extended her solo era with her new song “In Your Hands.” Kali Uchis had her first child with Don Toliver and SZA teased another track from her upcoming Lana project. She also joined Flo Milli and Cardi for a remix of “Never Lose Me” and signed on as a headliner for Glastonbury 2024.
Elmiene — “Crystal Tears”
Fresh off a breakout 2023 year that featured the release of two EPs, El-Mean and Marking My Time, British singer Elmiene is back to start a new chapter in his promising career. He returns with “Crystal Tears,” a record that he uses to hint at this new era, with production that references 2000s R&B.
Zae France — “Better Love”
Currently on the road as an opener for Eric Bellinger’s The Rebirth Tour, North Carolina-born, Connecticut-bred singer Zae France drops off his first lead single of the year with “Better Love.” The new song from France places gritty vocals from him over thumping contemporary R&B production as he expounds on the realization that he and an ex-lover are better together than apart.
Odeal — “Gaslight 101”
With a tour set to kick off in May, Odeal delivers another song that fans can potentially perform live on the upcoming run of shows. “Gaslight 101” recreates a conversation between Odeal and an old lover he mistreated. After ghosting them for a few months, Odeal returns to them not with an apology, but a plan to guilt trip them back into his arms. It’s classic gaslighting as he turns the tables on his ex-lover, hoping they at least share the blame for their relationship’s end.
Dee Gatti — “Unsure”
Forth Worth singer Dee Gatti’s latest single is probably her most honest and brutal release to date. “Unsure” is the cut-throat confession that her interest in her current partner has disappeared. She admits to dropping hints about her depleted feelings, but all of them have gone unnoticed leaving her to leave her partner with this brutal message.
Rhyan Douglas — Circles
Rising Canadian folk-soul singer Rhyan Douglas steps out with his debut EP Circles. Through nine tracks, the Brampton native paints on canvas with splatters of soft coos amid acoustic guitars serve as accents to his vast production. “Circles is a tribute to my childhood and my continuous growth and evolution into the man I’m probably supposed to be,” Douglas said in a press release. “Loss, money, religion, ladies, bowling, and of course my dreams – and the subjects my attention demands of me, both bad and good.”
VEDO — “Spinn On You”
VEDO shows no signs of slowing down. Following a 2023 year that delivered two albums — Mood Swings and 7, VEDO gets right back to work in 2024 with his new single “Spinn On You.” Soundtracked by a thumping bass and a flirty strums of a guitar, VEDO puts the spotlight on a stripper and promises to shower her with cash so long as she entertains with a dance he loves.
Samm Henshaw — “Troubled Ones”
Nearly two years after releasing his debut album Untidy Soul, British Nigerian singer Samm Henshaw launched the latest era of his career with his October 2023 single “Jumoke.” That era continues with his latest single, “Troubled Ones.” The song captures Henshaw coping with uncertainty in his life as he, in certain moments, is frozen in place without a clue of what his next move should be. “Reality is bittersweet,” he sings. “So scared of what my eyes can’t see.”
Elijah Blake — “Ghostbuster”
With his upcoming album Elijah. on the way, Elijah Blake sets sail toward the album with “Ghostbuster.” The record finds him a bit removed from a breakup and still struggling to move on from it. New experiences with romance are lackluster in his opinion as they fail to bring the same feeling he felt with his former partner. Frustrated at his struggles, Blake voices his desire to get his ex out of his head in order to give himself a fair chance with love.
MaKenzie & TA Thomas — “Maybe”
Kentucky singer MaKenzie has been building a name for herself through covers of her favorite artists on TikTok, earning praise from artists like Bebe Rexha, Teddy Swims, Yebba Smith, and more. Now she’s back with a new song of her own and she got some help with it. “Maybe” arrives with a feature from rising R&B singer TA Thomas and it blends their strong vocals to create a powerful record that shines with pop flair over R&B production.
Yo Trane — “Addiction”
Gabonese-French singer Yo Trane shares his third single of the year with “Addiction.” The gloomy and slow-burning record finds Yo Trane searching for answers as he continuously returns to a lover he knows isn’t good for him. Despite this realization, he craves more from this woman who offers him a love that he’s become addicted to, so for now, their relationship lives to see another day.
Kallitechnis — “Quiet Type” Feat. DonSmith
Building towards a project with recent singles “Soft Life,” “Vibes: Immaculate,” and “Kaleidoscope Love,” Canadian singer Kallitechnis returns with a fourth single. “Quiet Type” calls on Harlem rapper for a record dedicated to the introverted lovers of the world. Kallitechnis details being misunderstood and feeling invalidated in a loving relationship. “There’s often a type of heartbreak that comes with not being validated emotionally by the people we trust and that could make us want to shut down and become quiet,” she said about the song in an Instagram post.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.