Det er på tide, at vi holder op med at spørge om tilstanden R Essens udgav en redaktionel kapsel, der rapporterede om det i efteråret 2022, udforske den stadigt skiftende lyd af R med et dybt dyk ned i, hvordan nutidens kunstnere bærer faklen for genren deres vej.
Måske har nogle musikelskere bare ikke ledt godt nok efter de gammeldags lyde, de har tigget nye kunstnere om. Eller måske er de stadig ved at tilpasse sig musikkens skiftende tider. Uanset hvad tilfældet måtte være, er den nye skole i R
Uanset om de hiver over glatte instrumentaler eller adopterer den moderne fusion af melodisk trap, er der ingen tvivl om, at moderne R
01
Chløe
Siden hun indledte sin egen vej bortset fra sin søsterduo Chloe x Halle, har Chlöe uundskyldende fordybet sig i sit kommende solotilbud. Den Beyoncé-lærte R
02
SZA
Fans ventede år for SZA til at følge op på sit 2017-fænomen, 'Ctrl', men det helt store kom med løse numre, hun så generøst udgav i årene op til sit andet album, 'SOS', som ankom i december 2022. I sommeren 2021 overraskede SZA lytterne, da hun droppede tre sange fra SoundCloud via et anonymt link. Derefter udgav hun singler som 'I Hate U' og 'Shirt' og optrådte med et af 'SOS's iøjnefaldende numre, 'Blind', til sin musikalske debut 'Saturday Night Live' i november 2022, lige før hendes albums ankomst. I øjeblikket ligger 'SOS' stadig på toppen af Billboard 200-hitlisten, hvor den har ligget på nr. 1 siden udgivelsen. Det er overflødigt at sige, at SZA slog andenårsforbandelsen og har bevist, hvorfor hun betragtes som en af de bedste R
03
HENDE.
HENDE. has consistently been at the forefront of R&B since she released volume one of her self-titled EP in 2016, and she hasn't slowed down since. Between her five Grammy wins — most of which happened before her debut album — and four nominations for the 2023 ceremony, HENDE. can be considered one of the hardest-working artists of her generation. I mean, she already told 247CM she's manifesting EGOT status and is more than halfway towards her goal. Not to mention, she just starred as Belle in ABC's live-action 'Beauty and the Beast special — the first Black and Filipino woman to do so — and is gearing up for the 'Color Purple' musical movie premiering on Dec. 20, 2023. So the real question is: what can't HENDE. do?
04
Lucky Daye
2022 var et stort år for Lucky Daye. Den indfødte fra New Orleans udgav endelig sit længe ventede andet album, 'Candy Drip', i marts 2022 - som indeholdt heavy hitters som Lil Durk, Smino og Alicia Keys - og begav sig ud på en 26-by-turné af samme navn sammen med Joyce Wrice. Sidste år havde den Grammy-vindende sangerinde, som var op til fem nomineringer ved ceremonien i 2023, også fornøjelsen af at arbejde på andre Grammy-nominerede projekter som Beyoncés 'Renaissance' og Mary J. Bliges 'Good Morning Gorgeous'. Så når du nævner den bedste R
05
Ari Lennox
Fans foregav et nyt album fra Ari Lennox efter udgivelsen af hendes dynamiske debut i 2019, 'Shea Butter Baby', og de fik endelig deres ønske i slutningen af sidste år. Lennox droppede sit andet album, 'Age/ Sex/ Location', i september 2022 efter at have holdt fans tilbage med funktioner og singler som 'Pressure' og 'Queen Space' med Summer Walker. Efterspørgslen efter Lennox er kun steget siden, og med rette, da hendes musik er så inderlig og relateret. Lige nu er hun ude på vejen for sin 'Alder/køn/sted', som slutter i marts. Og det ser ud til, at hun fortsætter sin albumpromo med musikvideoer til numre fra hendes andet album - hendes seneste er det visuelle til ' Spild min tid .'
06
Sommer Walker
Sommer Walker's music knows just how to get us all in our feelings, but we never turn down the chance to hear her sultry voice on a track. She released arguably one of the best R&B albums in 2021 when she dropped ' Still Over It ,' which marked the first time a woman R&B artist had toppede Billboard 200 på over fem år. Tallene er bestemt på Walkers side, og det samme er hendes loyale fans.
07
Brent Faiyaz
Efter to års pause fra at droppe projekter i fuld længde, udgav Brent Faiyaz 'sit seneste album, 'Wasteland', i sommeren 2022. Projektet indeholdt iøjnefaldende funktioner fra Drake, Tyler, the Creator, Alicia Keys og mere, for ikke at nævne, Faiyaz' himmelske vokal. Efter udgivelsen af hans 'F*ck the World' EP i 2020 har Faiyaz samarbejdet med folk som Baby Keem og Tems. Selvom han stadig ikke har sikret sig en Grammy-sejr eller nominering i de seneste år, rodfæster Faiyaz' dedikerede fanskare stadig efter ham hele vejen.
08
Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan has had the most impressive resurgence in R&B and music period as of late. The explosive release of her 'Heaux Tales' EP turned it into one of the most talked-about projects of 2021 and even earned the Philly songstress two long overdue Grammy wins in 2022 . She's the people's champ when it comes to R&B and support for her has only grown. Between her timeless records, captivating performances , and now 18 total Grammy nominations, Sullivan has just the kind of flair that R&B needs to thrive.
09
Normani
Normani is someone people have been rooting for ever since she broke out as a solo artist in 2019. Her first single, 'Motivation,' had a moment of its own, but Normani didn't pick up on the momentum of the song until two år later when she dropped 'Wild Side' with Cardi B. She's set to voice a singer in season two of 'Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.' Still with all the buzz, she has yet to release her debut album, but apparently, she's sitting on two to three projects' worth of music. The singer told WPGC 95.5 FM in 2021 that the delay on their releases is due to 'insecurities' and being 'very critical' of herself. Hopefully, Normani shakes her nerves so the world can finally hear why she's one of today's best R&B artists.
10
Giveon
Giveon har bevist, at han er mere end blot den talentfulde vokalist, der landede et stort Drake-indslag i begyndelsen af sin karriere - hans utrolige løb i 2021 og 2022 beviste det. Det ene spørgsmål i alles sind efter at have hørt ham på Drakes 'Chicago Freestyle' var: 'Hvem er Giveon?' Nå, fortalte sangeren os, da han droppede sin debut-EP, 'Take Time', i 2020. Efter at have fået sit store gennembrud, har det været benzin for den sjælfulde crooner. Hans andet store samarbejde skete i 2021, da han arbejdede med Justin Bieber og Daniel Caesar på 'Peaches'. Nu, efter at han droppede sit seneste projekt, 'Give in Take', i juni 2022, undrer alle sig over, hvad den Grammy-nominerede sangers næste træk bliver.
11
Cleo Sol
Fans forelskede sig i Cleo Sols lyd i 2020, da hun droppede sit debutalbum, 'Rose in the Dark'. Og på en eller anden måde fandt hun en måde at toppe dette projekt med 2021's 'Mother' - hendes dybt personlige album, der, som titlen antyder, udforsker de mange ting, hun har oplevet som mor. Sols evne til at lave smukke, tidløse plader er hendes sande talent, og hendes evne til at fange en række følelser i hendes sange er det, der tiltrækker hendes lyttere.
12
Khalid
Efterhånden er Khalid helt sikkert et kendt navn i R
13
Tems
Tems is a name on everyone's lips now after her featured vocals on WizKid's summer anthem 'Essens' blew up. But with cosigns from superstars like Drake and Future, a song with Rihanna , and now her first-ever Oscar nomination , the Nigerian singer has the world's attention — and she's just getting started. On the hælene på hendes succes , Tems annoncerede en USA-turné i 2021; droppede sit sophomore-projekt, 'If Orange Was a Place' samme år; og opnåede en major-label-aftale. Det er overflødigt at sige, at Tems har været reserveret og travlt, og fans håber, at det forbliver sådan i meget lang tid.
14
6 mangler
6 mangler is an R&B artist who defies the traditional rules of the genre. Yes, he has the singing voice of an R&B star, but his style has a hip-hop core — per his 2018 song 'Scripture.' The Grammy-nominated artist offers a realist lens in his music, as opposed to always singing about his latest infatuation, which makes him stand out from the rest. He hasn't dropped a solo album since 2018's 'East Atlanta Love Letter,' though he did appear on LVRN's last two Christmas albums. However, loose singles like 'Rent Free' and 'By Any Means,' as well as his latest features have kept fans occupied in the meantime.
15
Snoh Aalegra
Snoh Aalegra has been releasing music since 2016, but she rose to prominence after she released her 2019 album, 'Ugh, Those Feels Again.' Since then, her music has had fans in a chokehold, many of which regularly loop her projects and songs over and over again. In 2021, Aalegra dropped 'Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies,' and once again, her fans couldn't stop swooning over her music. Her sound is for the lovesick listeners who enjoy drowning in the depths of slow, serene R&B.
16
Tone Stith
Tone Stith has one of the most angelic voices in R&B and he knows just how to woo his listeners with his vocals. Overall, his many songs hold a special place on fans' R&B playlists. Between 2021 projects like 'FWM' and 'Still FWM,' it's hard not to play Stith's music on a constant loop. And we'll happily do so until he drops his next album.
17
Kirby
Hvis vi skulle opsummere Kirbys musik, lyder det som det trøstende kram, du har brug for fra din ven nu og da for at få dig selv i skak igen. Fans relaterer sig bestemt til Mississippi-indfødtes fascinerende sange - ned til hendes albumtitler, 'Sis.', 'Sis. Han var ikke den ene.' og 'Jeg fortalte dig, at jeg ville.' Hvis du ikke allerede har gjort det, så gør dig selv en tjeneste og tjek Kirbys musik ASAP.
18
Victoria Monet
Victoria Monét startede som en hitskabende sangskriver og har lånt sin pen til at skrive sange til nogle af nutidens største stjerner - inklusive Ariana Grande, Chloe X Halle, Brandy og andre. Men for nylig er hun rykket ind i rampelyset som solo-R
19
Muni Long
I årevis har Muni Long – tidligere kendt som Priscilla Renea – skrevet hitsange for nogle af vores yndlingskunstnere (inklusive Rihanna, Ariana Grande og Mariah Carey) som en af musikindustriens bedste sangskrivere. Men hendes store øjeblik kom, efter hendes TikTok-smash, 'Hrs and Hrs', fra hendes 'Public Displays of Affection: The Album'-projekt klatrede op på Billboard Hot 100-listen i 2022 - et personligt mål, hun tidligere delte med 247CM - og scorede sine tre Grammy-nomineringer. Den lune ballade var blot en smagsprøve på hendes stjernekraft som en R
20
VanJess
Søster-sangerduoen Ivana og Jess, alias VanJess, er et par, der repræsenterer nutidens R
21
Næh
Cleveland-rapperen, sangeren og sangskriveren Nnena har lavet musik i over fem år nu. Alligevel kom hendes breakout-øjeblik fra en placering på 'Insecure's sæson fem-premiere med hendes sang 'Fun'. Efter det rampelys startede hendes karriere i fuld gear og fik sin tv-debut sent på aftenen på 'The Late Late Show With James Corden' i januar 2022. Hun sluttede 2021 med udgivelsen af en ny EP på fire sange med titlen 'Just Cause', og vi har en fornemmelse af, at dette kun er begyndelsen for hende.
22
Hvor er du?
Hvor er du? is a rising star in R&B, but she doesn't subscribe to the traditional sound. The Grammy-nominated Jamaican British artist draws inspiration from icons like Jill Scott and Lauryn Hill, but her music has a personal touch only she can create. Between using throwback samples and adding hints of pop to her music, Hvor er du?'s sound is really one of a kind. Some of her standout songs are 'What You Did' featuring Ella Mai, 'Jealous' featuring Rico Nasty, and 'Roadside,' just to name a few.
23
Alex Isley
Alex Isley comes from a lineage of musical greatness and it shows in her work. As the daughter of Ernie Isley and niece of Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers, Alex has music running through her veins, so it's no surprise that she's one of R&B's frontrunners. Over the år, the soulful singer has released impressive projects like 2012's 'Love/ Art Memoirs,' 2013's 'Dreams in Analog,' 2015's 'Luxury,' and 2022's 'Marigold,' so it's clear she's striving to be a mainstay in R&B. In a 2022 interview with Vibe Magazine , Alex told the outlet of her music career, 'I think it's great to have the notoriety and the recognition for sure. But ultimately, I'm after longevity.'
24
Daniel Cæsar
Daniel Cæsar is the cream of the crop when it comes to R&B artists. Whether it's strumming the guitar for a track or penning the perfect ballad, Caesar can do it all and then some. The R&B star made a splash with his impressive 2017 debut album, 'Freudian,' following up with 2019's 'Case Study 01.' And now, after a four-year hiatus from dropping new music — aside from his 'Peaches' collaboration with Justin Bieber and Giveon , and his 2022 single 'Please Do Not Lean' — it appears he's making his return with his latest song, 'Do You Like Me?' This could also be the signal for his next album, but Caesar's fans with just have to wait and see.
25
Durand Bernarr
Durand Bernarr is the definition of homegrown talent. With a mother who worked as a professional music teacher and vocal coach, a father who did sound production for Earth, Wind & Fire, and Erykah Badu as a mentor, the rising singer-songwriter has all the toolage to be a force in R&B and soul. 247CM witnessed Bernarr's set at the 2022 Roots Picnic , where he blew attendees away with his masterclass in live performance. And if that doesn't convince you of Bernarr's craft, just listen to his 2022 album, 'Wanderlust,' or catch him on tour now.
26
Justine Skye
Justine Skye has been a name on the rise in music for år ever since she dropped her first project, 'Everyday Living,' in 2013. For the past decade, the singer-songwriter and Brooklyn native has experimented with her sound, pushing past her Tumblr and 'purple unicorn' days and working with the likes of super-producers like Timbaland. Skye, released her last album in 2021, an R&B project titled 'Space and Time,' and most recently has seen the resurgence of some of her old music on TikTok — notably, the 'Grown-ish' star's now-viral 2014 single with Tyga, 'Collide,' which she performed on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' in February 2023.
