Kehlani, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Muni Long And More New R&B For The Soft Life
The world is in disarray, but R&B serves as the best distraction.
With many artists reminding fans of their own humanity, they’re using their platforms to shed light on things that go beyond surface-level, first-world problems. Jessie Reyez released her collab with Big Sean in hopes that it’ll make someone happy while Kehlani used her “Next 2 U” visual to stand for Palestine.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Cephas Jones is rising like a phoenix as Muni Long, Josh Levi, Lucky Daye, and Marques Houston sing about romance and the pros of love. Durand Bernarr has “music video money” and used it to make a visual EP. Tink, Summer Walker, and Tanerélle put the soul back into R&B with their respective releases.
Soften your heart with the help of VIBE‘s top new R&B selects of the week.
Kehlani – “Next 2 U”
Kehlani has another hit on her hands with “Next 2 U.” Produced by DIXSON and OAK, the chilling record has her fiery passion on display as she details all that she’ll do to get back to the one she loves.
“They gon’, they gon’ have to come get me/ They gon’ have to see about me to get next to you,” she sings in the chorus. It’s a completely different vibe than her summer anthem, “After Hours,” and its sultry remix—a mashup with Destiny Child’s “Cater 2 U,” which dropped last week.
The Cole Santiago-directed visual features choreography from Amari “Monster” Marshall and serves as a reminder that Kehlani is the artist whose platform has a purpose. As the Palestinian flag is displayed throughout the video, Keh explained in a statement, “This was merely a reflection of pain. of anger. of support. a lens. a long ruminating energy. a reflection of the pink washing, the silencing, the negative portrayal, the fear mongering. there is gentle where is fierceness. there is beauty in the radical. i’m scared s**tless by the way. i’m just tryna be where my feet are. here, now. always & forever.”
Jasmine Cephas Jones – Phoenix
Jasmine Cephas Jones is rising from grief-ridden ashes with her debut album, Phoenix. Her singles, “Brighter” featuring Kevin Garrett (a personal favorite), “Come My Way,” and “Baby I Can’t Give You Up” introduced a new part of the singer-actress to the world, but it was all a taste of what the album truly represented.
Inspired by Prince, Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo, Beyoncé, and Erykah Badu, Jasmine created the album she’s always wanted to make. It’s a collaborative, transformative soundscape about how she befriended grief and found resilience in a rebirth.
“Each song on PHOENIX tells a story of growth, love, and self-discovery,” she explained in a statement. “I hope it resonates with people on a deep level and inspires them to embrace their own power and potential. I’ve learned to stop looking to other people for answers. The answer has been inside of me all along. I’m completely independent, and I have a blank slate to do whatever I want. There’s nobody telling me what I should do or who I should be. Instead, I’ve learned who I am on Phoenix.”
The album also includes an interlude from her late father, Ron Cephas Jones and she shared the importance of that track for VIBE Lineage.
Muni Long – “Make Me Forget”
One thing about Muni Long? She’s going to make a ballad that stirs up something in your soul. With her seductive new single, “Make Me Forget,” she interpolates D’Angelo’s timeless hit, “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” as she sings about wanting her lover to erase memories of past relationships that don’t feel as good as the one she’s in. It’s endearing and sensual.
Muni describes it as “a warm bath,” adding, “It’s a love letter. It says, ‘You’re not perfect. We’ve got a lot of things to work on, but can we focus on the amazing feeling we have when we’re together?’ I’m not the person to encourage you to leave. We need more peace and joy.” It follows the highly-anticipated remix to her latest chart-topper, “Made For Me” featuring Mariah Carey.
Josh Levi – “SOMETHING MORE”
Josh Levi’s new arrival, “Something More,” is just that. After he rode the wave of his viral hit, “Birthday Dance,” Levi is welcoming his growing fanbase back into his embrace with something more intimate. He got honest and candid about his wants and desires. Personally, he doesn’t always want to be outside, turning up; sometimes, being with his baby is more than enough.
“This is one of my favorite songs and now it’s yours. put my heart into this one, hope u hear it and feel what i’m feeling,” the crooner said in a statement. This marks the beginning of Josh’s next era.
Tink feat. Summer Walker – “Songs About U”
Tink and Summer Walker compliment one another so effortlessly on Tink’s new single, “Songs About U.” The Chicago native challenges herself tell the story of relatable heartache and yearning associated with toxic love on the slow-burning track—a sonic offering that’s on brand for both women.
They get real about the complexities of romance as the heart of the duet speaks to the power of collaborating—instead of competing—within music overall. It’s the latest single from Tink’s new album, Winter’s Diary 5, set for release on July 12.
Tanerélle – Electric Honey
After announcing her signing to Republic Records, Tanerélle made sure her debut at the label didn’t disappoint. Now, she’s challenging herself to experiment with her moody tone across varying sonic palettes without each song sounding like it’s piggybacking off its predecessor.
“Better Days” is a fan-favorite, but “Blink” is entrancing, and “Mirror” is anthemic. She may be considered R&B’s outlier, but she puts the soul back in the genre.
Lucky Daye – “Soft”
Lucky Daye is resetting his algorithm by giving the “soft life” an updated theme song. With his new offering, “Soft,” the crooner is stepping into a world of vulnerability as he shamelessly embraces a love spell as he gears up for his most experimental LP yet.
He explained in a statement, “‘Soft’ is about how love can come over a person and make them feel vulnerable, and whilst it’s unexpected, it’s also okay to embrace it. To be comfortable doing the things society labels ‘soft’ like cuddling, PDA, hugging and kissing – shamelessly. It’s about a lover putting a spell on you but that spell is in fact love itself.”
His new album, Algorithm, debuts on June 28.
Durand Bernarr – En Route
Durand Bernarr’s visual EP, En Route, is now available for the masses after its distribution via EVEN. It is a riveting compilation of all his musical influences and serves as a “transitional bridge” between his last album, Wanderlust, and what’s to come. Over the course of five days, he created a sonic road trip with the help of Sam Hoffman, Budda Foster, Kay’ce Thompson, and Louis York.
“En Route is the by-product of my experiences and evolution as both a person and an artist. It’s me expressing exactly how I feel, what I need, and how I want to be treated,” Durand explained in a statement. “While narrating these stories, I wanted to incorporate the eras, genres, cultures, instruments, and music legends that inspire me. And what did I say would happen when I finally got some music video money?” The EP features lead singles, “Unknown” and “Fist Bump” with Free Nationals.
Jessie Reyez feat. Big Sean – “SHUT UP”
Jessie Reyez and Big Sean have finally released their collab, “SHUT UP.” It marks the beginning of Jessie’s unapologetic “boss” era where she stands firm in being audacious and authoritative—which pairs well with Sean’s “too cool for school” demeanor.
The record was initially supposed to be released in 2023, but was postponed. On Instagram, Jess explained, “It felt wrong to promote anything at the time considering how f**ked everything was. And sadly, here we are again. I’m trying to consolidate helping bring attention to what seems much more important than a song – while also not letting my team down or fans down and pushing yet again.”
With “SHUT UP,” she hopes to make people smile and offer some form of light in hopes that “this dystopian a** f**king world we live in does not break you.”
Towards the end of its scorching visual, that also includes her mother Carmen’s first music video cameo, Jessie teases a new record that’ll make you want to dance. It comes off the heels of her infectious single, “JEANS,” featuring Miguel, which landed on VIBE‘s Best R&B Songs of 2023 list.
Marques Houston – “Last Drop”
Marques Houston is luring in fans yet again with his new single, “Last Drop.” The record samples Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk,” giving it a nostalgic, familiar feel. Not only does he pair his smooth vocals with adoring lyrics, but the accompanying visual offers choreography that picks up where “Admit It” left off.
The song is “deeply personal” for the former child star as he gifts listeners with an anthem for summer love. “I hope it connects with listeners on a profound level. It’s about savoring every moment and giving your all in love, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it,” he shared in a statement. It’s the second single from his forthcoming album.