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.
After a fairly quiet Thanksgiving weekend, the music industry returned to work this past weekend and it brought us plenty of R&B for us to enjoy. Khalid leads the way with the Scenic Drive project, his first full-length release in over two years. Brent Faiyaz returns with his latest single “Mercedes,” and Toronto native Jahkoy impresses with her new project, Tangible.
Khalid — Scenic Drive (The Tape)
It’s been two years since Khalid delivered a project to his fans, his sophomore album Free Spirit. Thankfully, that streak ended this past weekend through the release of his new tape, Scenic Drive. Khalid described the project as one he’s “been waiting for” and one he couldn’t “wait for you guys to hear.” Through its nine songs, Khalid brings on Smino, Ari Lennox, Lucky Daye, 6lack, Kiana Lede, JID, Majid Jordan, Quin, and Alicia Keys as guests on the project.
Blxst — “About You”
With a few weeks left in a year that saw his stock rise thanks to great music, a strong tour, and a XXL Freshman Class inclusion, Blxst is looking to end 2021 on a high note. He does so through his latest single “About You,” a track that finds him laying all his cards out for love, assuring his new partner that his eyes are only for her.
Jahkoy — Tangible
Two years after his last full-length project 404, Canadian singer Jahkoy returned with a new body of work, and boy, does he impress on it. Tangible presents 14 songs with features from Lyfe Harris, Fabolous, Pleasure P, Ye Ali, Ryan Witherspoon, Allyn, and Amaal, bringing us into Jahkoy’s world of love with production that balances the nostalgia of 2000s R&B with today’s trap-soul bounce.
Brent Faiyaz — “Mercedes”
Recently, there have been inklings of Brent Faiyaz returning with a new album in the near future. It would be the Maryland native’s first project since 2020’s F*ck The World, and while the wait continues, he treats his supporters to a new single with “Mercedes.” The track finds the singer keeping a potential love interest at a distance due to the dangers that would surround them as his companion.
Various Artists — Insecure: Music From The HBO Original Series, Season 5
We’re just a few weeks away from the end of Issa Rae’s trademark TV show, Insecure. She previously announced the show’s fifth season would be its finale, and just like she’s done in previous years, she returns with the soundtrack for this year’s season. Twelve tracks appear on Insecure: Music From The HBO Original Series, Season 5, highlighted by appearances from Saweetie, Thundercat, Mereba, Ro James, Duckwrth, and many more.
Ama Lou — At Least We Have This
Back in 2019, British singer Ama Lou earned herself plenty of attention with the release of her debut EP Ama, Who?. Since then, she remained very quiet, but this week she released her newest EP, At Least We Have This. She began promoting the project with “Trust Nobody” and now we have the complete project which offers three additional songs. Lou will also open for Snoh Aalegra’s Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies Tour, which kicks off in spring of 2022.
Jawan.mp3 — The Abstract
Two years removed from his last body of work, Atlanta’s Jawan.mp3 returns with a new EP for us to dive into. The Abstract comes with five songs, and the previously-released “Cause & Effect.” Jawan.mp3 is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the future.
Ckay — “Emiliana”
Ckay is currently riding out the success of “Love Nwantiti,” his 2019 single which recently gained a boatload of popularity thanks to its success on TikTok. While that song, which appeared on Uproxx’s Best Songs Of 2021 list, continues to rise, Ckay returns with “Emiliana.” It serves as an appetizing release to bring Ckay’s 2021 year to an end and spark some excitement for what he might have to offer in 2022.
Sinead Harnett — “Where You Been Hiding”
Months after releasing her sophomore album, Ready Is Always Too Late, Sinead Harnett is gearing up to release a deluxe reissue for the project. She begins the rollout for it with her new single “Where You Been Hiding,” which sees her questioning her inability to make romance work in her life. Something dawned on her when she finished the song: “The relationship I’ve had with myself needed some work and healing, which brings a whole new deeper level to the song for me,” she said in a press release. “I’d been hiding from myself for too long.”
Bren Joy — “Friends” Feat. Kiana Lede
After unloading a deluxe version of Twenties earlier this year, Bren Joy returns with a new single, bringing Kiana Lede along for the ride. Their new collaboration, “Friends,” finds the duo playing a couple who struggles to keep things strictly platonic after a breakup. They finally admit that they continue to be toxic even when they try to stick to their friendship, leaving them both with a difficult decision to make.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
