Category: News

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. Daniel Caesar continued his journey towards his next project with “Let Me Go” while Zacari recruited his fellow TDE labelmate Ab-Soul for “Motions.” SZA joined Lizzo for a “Special” remix and Rihanna shared details about her upcoming album while speaking about her Super Bowl Halftime Show. Elsewhere, Chiiild released “Antidote,” Janelle Monae shared the release date for her next single “Float,” and last and certainly not least, Beyoncé became the winningest artist in Grammy history.

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

Kelela — Raven

At long last, Kelela’s comeback is finally complete. The singer released her sophomore album Raven which she describes as a “deep-dive into facets of dance music that have always excited me” and her “first breath taken in the dark, an affirmation of black femme perspective in the midst of systemic erasure and the sound of our vulnerability turned to power.”

Masego — “Two Sides”

It’s almost too obvious that Masego has a project on the way, being that the singer will head out on tour in a couple of months. We’ll have to wait for the official announcement if it’s true, but until then, you can enjoy his latest single “Two Sides.” On it, Masego tips his cap to the Geminis in the world while also singing about the fun and enticing sides of love.

Eric Bellinger — 1(800)Hit-Eazy: Line 2

It only took a couple of years, but Eric Bellinger and Hitmaka reconnected for 1(800)Hit-Eazy: Line 2, the follow-up to their debut joint project 1(800)Hit-Eazy. Through 14 songs, Bellinger and Hitmaka call on Fabolous, Cordae, Kalan.FrFr, Blxst, Tink, and Muni Long for bass-thumping records that touch on romance and nightlife fun.

Roy Woods — “Don’t Love Me”

This year may be the year that Roy Woods returns with a new project. It’s been three years since his last project, Dem Times, but it now seems like he’s getting ready for a new full-length effort. Woods returns with “Don’t Leave Me,” a self-aware track that warns a girl about falling in love with him and he knows his past and the pain he’s caused toward others.

Ayra Starr — “Sability”

The queen of Mavins, aka Ayra Starr, is back with a new chune. “Sability” touches down as an uptempo, dance-ready track that will surely give you another reason to love the afrobeats singer. Her stock should keep rising if her future releases are anything like her stellar 19 & Dangerous album.

Pheelz — Pheelz Good

Following hits like “Finesse” and “Electricity” with BNXN fka Buju and Davido respectively, Pheelz is showing off what he can do in the spotlight with his new EP, Pheelz Good. Through 8 songs, which feature the aforementioned records, Pheelz thrives as the lead, and tracks like “Pheelz Like Summer” are proof of that.

Ryan Destiny — “Lie Like That”

Ryan Destiny flashed her potential as a singer back in 2020 with the release of records like “The Same” and “Do You,” but up until the end of 2022, we didn’t hear much else from her. That streak ended with “How Many” in December and she starts a new one with the release of “Lie Like That.” On it, she questions a lover’s inability to be truthful while boasting about her ability to give it straight and unfiltered.

Iyla — Appetite For Disaster

Three years after Other Ways To Vent, singer Iyla is back with her latest project, Appetite For Disaster. Through seven songs and features from Symba and Benny The Butcher, Iyla guides listeners through her “quest for the ‘impossible’ and my unwillingness to settle.” She adds that the project’s “title evokes what the last two years have felt like for me both professionally and personally.”

Col3trane — “Simp”

With his upcoming EP Chekhov’s Gun out this spring, Col3trane offers the latest taste from the project with “Simp.” The upbeat track sees Col3trane commit to the simp lifestyle: loving your partner out loud and expressing this desire openly to them.

Ebony Riley — Ebony

Ebony Riley may be a new name to most, but her face is quite familiar. Formerly known as Riley Montana, the Detroit-born singer is stepping to the mic with her new EP Ebony. Fresh off a deal with Interscope, Riley crafted the “deeply personal” project with the goal of bringing listeners on a journey towards understanding her and her artistry.

Jahkoy — “Loving Game”

With a new project on the way, Jahkoy continues the road to it with “Loving Game.” The track weaves his R&B sound into a pop backdrop that results in a groovy and infectious record. As for the song’s contents, Jahkoy sings about the fun he has playing the little game that love can sometimes be.

Kariyonte — “Rider”

Hailing from Thibodaux, Louisiana, R&B singer Kariyonte began her journey in music in the church. Years later, we’re now hearing her own records, with the latest being “Rider.” The new record follows her 2022 EP Lost Out.

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

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. Daniel Caesar continued his journey towards his next project with “Let Me Go” while Zacari recruited his fellow TDE labelmate Ab-Soul for “Motions.” SZA joined Lizzo for a “Special” remix and Rihanna shared details about her upcoming album while speaking about her Super Bowl Halftime Show. Elsewhere, Chiiild released “Antidote,” Janelle Monae shared the release date for her next single “Float,” and last and certainly not least, Beyoncé became the winningest artist in Grammy history.

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

Kelela — Raven

At long last, Kelela’s comeback is finally complete. The singer released her sophomore album Raven which she describes as a “deep-dive into facets of dance music that have always excited me” and her “first breath taken in the dark, an affirmation of black femme perspective in the midst of systemic erasure and the sound of our vulnerability turned to power.”

Masego — “Two Sides”

It’s almost too obvious that Masego has a project on the way, being that the singer will head out on tour in a couple of months. We’ll have to wait for the official announcement if it’s true, but until then, you can enjoy his latest single “Two Sides.” On it, Masego tips his cap to the Geminis in the world while also singing about the fun and enticing sides of love.

Eric Bellinger — 1(800)Hit-Eazy: Line 2

It only took a couple of years, but Eric Bellinger and Hitmaka reconnected for 1(800)Hit-Eazy: Line 2, the follow-up to their debut joint project 1(800)Hit-Eazy. Through 14 songs, Bellinger and Hitmaka call on Fabolous, Cordae, Kalan.FrFr, Blxst, Tink, and Muni Long for bass-thumping records that touch on romance and nightlife fun.

Roy Woods — “Don’t Love Me”

This year may be the year that Roy Woods returns with a new project. It’s been three years since his last project, Dem Times, but it now seems like he’s getting ready for a new full-length effort. Woods returns with “Don’t Leave Me,” a self-aware track that warns a girl about falling in love with him and he knows his past and the pain he’s caused toward others.

Ayra Starr — “Sability”

The queen of Mavins, aka Ayra Starr, is back with a new chune. “Sability” touches down as an uptempo, dance-ready track that will surely give you another reason to love the afrobeats singer. Her stock should keep rising if her future releases are anything like her stellar 19 & Dangerous album.

Pheelz — Pheelz Good

Following hits like “Finesse” and “Electricity” with BNXN fka Buju and Davido respectively, Pheelz is showing off what he can do in the spotlight with his new EP, Pheelz Good. Through 8 songs, which feature the aforementioned records, Pheelz thrives as the lead, and tracks like “Pheelz Like Summer” are proof of that.

Ryan Destiny — “Lie Like That”

Ryan Destiny flashed her potential as a singer back in 2020 with the release of records like “The Same” and “Do You,” but up until the end of 2022, we didn’t hear much else from her. That streak ended with “How Many” in December and she starts a new one with the release of “Lie Like That.” On it, she questions a lover’s inability to be truthful while boasting about her ability to give it straight and unfiltered.

Iyla — Appetite For Disaster

Three years after Other Ways To Vent, singer Iyla is back with her latest project, Appetite For Disaster. Through seven songs and features from Symba and Benny The Butcher, Iyla guides listeners through her “quest for the ‘impossible’ and my unwillingness to settle.” She adds that the project’s “title evokes what the last two years have felt like for me both professionally and personally.”

Col3trane — “Simp”

With his upcoming EP Chekhov’s Gun out this spring, Col3trane offers the latest taste from the project with “Simp.” The upbeat track sees Col3trane commit to the simp lifestyle: loving your partner out loud and expressing this desire openly to them.

Ebony Riley — Ebony

Ebony Riley may be a new name to most, but her face is quite familiar. Formerly known as Riley Montana, the Detroit-born singer is stepping to the mic with her new EP Ebony. Fresh off a deal with Interscope, Riley crafted the “deeply personal” project with the goal of bringing listeners on a journey towards understanding her and her artistry.

Jahkoy — “Loving Game”

With a new project on the way, Jahkoy continues the road to it with “Loving Game.” The track weaves his R&B sound into a pop backdrop that results in a groovy and infectious record. As for the song’s contents, Jahkoy sings about the fun he has playing the little game that love can sometimes be.

Kariyonte — “Rider”

Hailing from Thibodaux, Louisiana, R&B singer Kariyonte began her journey in music in the church. Years later, we’re now hearing her own records, with the latest being “Rider.” The new record follows her 2022 EP Lost Out.

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

Brooklyn drill rapper Sleepy Hallow was released from prison yesterday after serving nearly eight months for weapons possession. In a video shared by fellow drill rapper Sheff G’s Instagram, Sleepy is seen drinking from a bottle of champagne outside the facility where he was previously incarcerated.

“@_sleepyhallow_ home I’m next free me free the guy,” reads the caption. Sheff G is also currently incarcerated after being sentenced to two years in October 2021. He’d pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, the same charge Sleepy Hallow was also arrested for in June 2022. Sleepy was on probation at the time of his arrest.

Both of the Brooklyn rappers last appeared together on their 2021 song “Run It Up,” which also featured Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Sleepy released his debut album, Still Sleep?, in June 2021 on RCA Records. It peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified Gold by the RIAA.

He released three singles in 2022: “Die Young” featuring 347Aidan, “2 Mins of Pain” featuring Alborosie, and “Marie.” He also appeared on projects from the likes of Fredo Bang and Eli Fross before being incarcerated. Here’s hoping he can restore his stalled momentum and stay out of anymore trouble.

Brooklyn drill rapper Sleepy Hallow was released from prison yesterday after serving nearly eight months for weapons possession. In a video shared by fellow drill rapper Sheff G’s Instagram, Sleepy is seen drinking from a bottle of champagne outside the facility where he was previously incarcerated.

“@_sleepyhallow_ home I’m next free me free the guy,” reads the caption. Sheff G is also currently incarcerated after being sentenced to two years in October 2021. He’d pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, the same charge Sleepy Hallow was also arrested for in June 2022. Sleepy was on probation at the time of his arrest.

Both of the Brooklyn rappers last appeared together on their 2021 song “Run It Up,” which also featured Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Sleepy released his debut album, Still Sleep?, in June 2021 on RCA Records. It peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified Gold by the RIAA.

He released three singles in 2022: “Die Young” featuring 347Aidan, “2 Mins of Pain” featuring Alborosie, and “Marie.” He also appeared on projects from the likes of Fredo Bang and Eli Fross before being incarcerated. Here’s hoping he can restore his stalled momentum and stay out of anymore trouble.

Caroline Polachek’s new album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is out today. “One, it can be read as being about the ‘you,’” she explained about the title. “We all know that feeling of falling in love, of wanting to obsessively learn from and become that person. But on the other hand, maybe desire is the thing you want to turn into itself.”

The album dives headfirst into those themes of love and obsession, especially on “Fly To You,” a techno-inspired collaboration with Grimes and Dido. “How I remember, how I forget / Wanted to hate you but love you instead / Violence made me gentle at last,” Grimes sings, opening the track. The three singers trade off verses, making for a sprawling exploration of complicated romance.

Earlier this year, Grimes said music is just a “side quest” in her life at the moment. “I’ll always release music but if it hasn’t been clear ; music is my side quest now,” the eccentric artist explained in a Twitter thread. “Tbh reduced pressure x increased freedom = prob more music just ideally ‘Low key. I’ll always do my best to entertain whilst depleting my literal reputation I hope that’s ok I love y’all.”

Listen to “Fly To You” above.

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is out now via Perpetual Novice. Get it here.

Caroline Polachek’s new album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is out today. “One, it can be read as being about the ‘you,’” she explained about the title. “We all know that feeling of falling in love, of wanting to obsessively learn from and become that person. But on the other hand, maybe desire is the thing you want to turn into itself.”

The album dives headfirst into those themes of love and obsession, especially on “Fly To You,” a techno-inspired collaboration with Grimes and Dido. “How I remember, how I forget / Wanted to hate you but love you instead / Violence made me gentle at last,” Grimes sings, opening the track. The three singers trade off verses, making for a sprawling exploration of complicated romance.

Earlier this year, Grimes said music is just a “side quest” in her life at the moment. “I’ll always release music but if it hasn’t been clear ; music is my side quest now,” the eccentric artist explained in a Twitter thread. “Tbh reduced pressure x increased freedom = prob more music just ideally ‘Low key. I’ll always do my best to entertain whilst depleting my literal reputation I hope that’s ok I love y’all.”

Listen to “Fly To You” above.

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is out now via Perpetual Novice. Get it here.

Lana Del Rey, ahead of her new album Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, was interviewed by Billie Eilish for the cover of Interview Magazine. The story dropped today and features a lot of mutual praise from both musicians, as well as some interesting reveals about the record’s creation process.

Del Rey had dropped various alternate covers for the vinyl pressings, including a nude photoshoot. She went on to discuss why it was ultimately scrapped as an idea for the main one.

“The artwork is by Neil Krug, who’s done a lot of my covers,” she said. “My original cover was nude, then I thought about it, and I was like, maybe not right now, because there are some other things I want to do where I feel like that could get in the way.”

“For each shot, we were really specific about the idea and the mood. He took 65 shots in a row and we used every single one of them, because I told him I didn’t want him to just shoot, shoot, shoot, I wanted to take my time and think about what I wanted to express in my face,” Del Rey added.

Eilish loved them all. “They’re so beautiful. I don’t know which one is the cover, but I saw a bunch of the shots,” she responded.

Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Ocean Blvd is out 3/24 via Interscope/Polydor. Pre-save it here.

Lana Del Rey, ahead of her new album Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, was interviewed by Billie Eilish for the cover of Interview Magazine. The story dropped today and features a lot of mutual praise from both musicians, as well as some interesting reveals about the record’s creation process.

Del Rey had dropped various alternate covers for the vinyl pressings, including a nude photoshoot. She went on to discuss why it was ultimately scrapped as an idea for the main one.

“The artwork is by Neil Krug, who’s done a lot of my covers,” she said. “My original cover was nude, then I thought about it, and I was like, maybe not right now, because there are some other things I want to do where I feel like that could get in the way.”

“For each shot, we were really specific about the idea and the mood. He took 65 shots in a row and we used every single one of them, because I told him I didn’t want him to just shoot, shoot, shoot, I wanted to take my time and think about what I wanted to express in my face,” Del Rey added.

Eilish loved them all. “They’re so beautiful. I don’t know which one is the cover, but I saw a bunch of the shots,” she responded.

Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Ocean Blvd is out 3/24 via Interscope/Polydor. Pre-save it here.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Paramore drop a much-hyped new album and Lizzo link up with a star for a new remix. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Flash newsletters.

Paramore — “Running Out Of Time”

Hayley Williams recently explained how the new This Is Why cut is inspired by Taylor Swift, saying, “I remember when we were 19 and I was closer with Taylor Swift at that point because we both lived in Nashville and we’re both experiencing our own versions of real success for the first time. I went over to hang out. […] I wish that I was the person that felt like I had all my sh*t together and I was like, ‘Oh, I had some extra time, so I’m just popping by with some flowers.’ That kind of thing, that is my idealized self.”

Lizzo — “Special” Feat. SZA

Lizzo and SZA were two of the biggest stars of 2022 and that’s remaining true here in 2023. They have compatible musical styles, too, which is unequivocally true on the new SZA-featuring remix of Lizzo’s “Special.” The song’s original lush charm is fully intact, just now with SZA fearlessly shutting haters down in a new opening verse.

Dove Cameron and Khalid — “We Go Down Together”

Speaking of collaborations, Cameron and Khalid came through with “We Go Down Together” last week. Cameron described the personal single as “like a little distilled love letter in a bottle” and continued, “A song about a timeless love, the kind of love that makes you feel like you might be the only two people left on earth, and you wouldn’t even notice.”

Tove Lo — “Borderline”

While Tove Lo’s latest single is feature-free, she didn’t go about it alone, as Dua Lipa is listed among the “Borderline” co-writers. That collaboration worked to great effect, as Uproxx’s Flisadam Pointer describes the “emotionally alarming new single” as “a tale of a romance you’ll spend years and thousands of dollars of therapy recovering from.”

The Kid LAROI — “Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1)”

LAROI is a global star, which makes it easy to forget that he’s only 19 years old. Like many young people his age, he’s in a transitional part of his life, which he addresses on “Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1).” On the tracks, he raps about listening to his favorite musicians speak about life and now experiencing those same things himself.

Daniel Caesar — “Let Me Go”

After going pretty quiet for a few years, Caesar has been productive the past couple weeks. His latest is “Let Me Go,” of which Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez notes, “The song’s instrumental is equal parts dreamy and hypnotic, as Caesar’s vocals shine through, creating a saccharine air amid tambourines and sultry guitars.”

Central Cee — “Me And You”

It turns out that apparently, a lot of songs are about love and relationships. Well, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Central Cee offers an addition to the lovey-dovey oeuvre with “Me And You,” in which he lays out the benefits of being romantically linked to somebody like him.

Smino — “Smi Myself And I”

Beyoncé is on top of the world right now after her historic Grammy Awards showing, and she’s on Smino’s mind, too, as he just sampled her on “Smi Myself And I.” The track borrows from Bey’s “Me Myself And I,” and while it’s only two minutes long, it still delivers plenty of Smino’s signature wordplay.

Indigo De Souza — “Younger & Dumber”

Saddle Creek favorite De Souza just kicked off the promo cycle for her newly announced album, All Of This Will End, last week with lead single “Younger & Dumber.” Uproxx’s Danielle Chelosky says of the “sprawling” new song, “The song is as thoughtful and stunning as her material usually is; she proves her maturity more than ever, reflecting on her younger self.”

Bartees Strange — “Tisched Off”

Bartees has ascended rapidly in recent years, but on new single “Tisched Off,” he looks back at his halcyon days. It’s a tongue-in-cheek dig at his up-and-coming contemporaries at the time, who had greater resources to devote to their craft than he did (“Tisched” is a reference to NYU’s Tisch School Of The Arts).

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

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Paramore drop a much-hyped new album and Lizzo link up with a star for a new remix. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Flash newsletters.

Paramore — “Running Out Of Time”

Hayley Williams recently explained how the new This Is Why cut is inspired by Taylor Swift, saying, “I remember when we were 19 and I was closer with Taylor Swift at that point because we both lived in Nashville and we’re both experiencing our own versions of real success for the first time. I went over to hang out. […] I wish that I was the person that felt like I had all my sh*t together and I was like, ‘Oh, I had some extra time, so I’m just popping by with some flowers.’ That kind of thing, that is my idealized self.”

Lizzo — “Special” Feat. SZA

Lizzo and SZA were two of the biggest stars of 2022 and that’s remaining true here in 2023. They have compatible musical styles, too, which is unequivocally true on the new SZA-featuring remix of Lizzo’s “Special.” The song’s original lush charm is fully intact, just now with SZA fearlessly shutting haters down in a new opening verse.

Dove Cameron and Khalid — “We Go Down Together”

Speaking of collaborations, Cameron and Khalid came through with “We Go Down Together” last week. Cameron described the personal single as “like a little distilled love letter in a bottle” and continued, “A song about a timeless love, the kind of love that makes you feel like you might be the only two people left on earth, and you wouldn’t even notice.”

Tove Lo — “Borderline”

While Tove Lo’s latest single is feature-free, she didn’t go about it alone, as Dua Lipa is listed among the “Borderline” co-writers. That collaboration worked to great effect, as Uproxx’s Flisadam Pointer describes the “emotionally alarming new single” as “a tale of a romance you’ll spend years and thousands of dollars of therapy recovering from.”

The Kid LAROI — “Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1)”

LAROI is a global star, which makes it easy to forget that he’s only 19 years old. Like many young people his age, he’s in a transitional part of his life, which he addresses on “Kids Are Growing Up (Part 1).” On the tracks, he raps about listening to his favorite musicians speak about life and now experiencing those same things himself.

Daniel Caesar — “Let Me Go”

After going pretty quiet for a few years, Caesar has been productive the past couple weeks. His latest is “Let Me Go,” of which Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez notes, “The song’s instrumental is equal parts dreamy and hypnotic, as Caesar’s vocals shine through, creating a saccharine air amid tambourines and sultry guitars.”

Central Cee — “Me And You”

It turns out that apparently, a lot of songs are about love and relationships. Well, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Central Cee offers an addition to the lovey-dovey oeuvre with “Me And You,” in which he lays out the benefits of being romantically linked to somebody like him.

Smino — “Smi Myself And I”

Beyoncé is on top of the world right now after her historic Grammy Awards showing, and she’s on Smino’s mind, too, as he just sampled her on “Smi Myself And I.” The track borrows from Bey’s “Me Myself And I,” and while it’s only two minutes long, it still delivers plenty of Smino’s signature wordplay.

Indigo De Souza — “Younger & Dumber”

Saddle Creek favorite De Souza just kicked off the promo cycle for her newly announced album, All Of This Will End, last week with lead single “Younger & Dumber.” Uproxx’s Danielle Chelosky says of the “sprawling” new song, “The song is as thoughtful and stunning as her material usually is; she proves her maturity more than ever, reflecting on her younger self.”

Bartees Strange — “Tisched Off”

Bartees has ascended rapidly in recent years, but on new single “Tisched Off,” he looks back at his halcyon days. It’s a tongue-in-cheek dig at his up-and-coming contemporaries at the time, who had greater resources to devote to their craft than he did (“Tisched” is a reference to NYU’s Tisch School Of The Arts).

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