This week was called for a dopamine spike and let’s just say that R&B delivered.
With the help of Camper‘s lead single from his new album, Normani finally delivering the damn album release date, and Durand Bernarr making his latest release available for mass consumption, R&B remains the superior genre.
To add the cherry on top, we also were blessed with new music from Elmiene, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Susan Carol, Cat Burns, Amanda Reifer, and Sinéad Harnett. Whether you’re looking to explore the unknown, inject some sweetness, remind someone that you and karma go back like babies and pacifiers, or deliver someone their walking papers, VIBE‘s top new R&B selects will help you along the way.
Camper feat. Syd and Tank – “I Need It”
Camper —the Grammy-winning producer behind Coco Jones’ “ICU,” H.E.R., and more—is gearing up for the release of his own LP, CAMPILATION, with its lead single, “I Need It.” The mesmerizing ballad merges Tank‘s smooth tone with Syd‘s hypnotizing vocals and Camper’s magical production—ultimately proving that the latter can’t be boxed in.
According to Rated R&B, the single was first teased in October 2022. “This collaboration is a dream come true. It’s the first time that the three of us were able to work together and we got to create history. We won by doing what we love to do — you can hear the passion in the song. Like Phil Jackson (ex-Chicago Bulls coach) would say, it’s a triangle offense!,” Camper noted to the outlet of the dreamy collaboration.
CAMPILATION will reportedly include collaborations with H.E.R., Brandy, Ty Dolla $ign, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Jill Scott, and Ari Lennox.
Durand Bernarr – “Unknown”
Durand Bernarr first released his newest music offering, “Unknown,” on EVEN before sharing it with the masses on DSPs.
The enchanting single for lovers ready to be vulnerable should be paired with a solid hip sway—preferably on someone else under a sea of red lights. It sounds grown like something you’d hear from Teddy Pendergrass or Marvin Gaye during a hot summer night in a juke joint. It also is a marvelous display of Bernarr’s vocal range as he plays around with ad-libs over the mid-tempo melody.
“Unknown” is the lead single from his forthcoming EP.
Normani feat. Gunna – “1:59”
Normani is dropping the damn album and used her new collab with Gunna, “1:59,” to announce the release date—June 14.
On the infectious record, Normani embraces her femininity and sensuality, allowing listeners to daydream about the infinite possibilities of what can happen between two lovers without the need for words. “When I get you alone, boy, what you gon’ do with this? Don’t talk too much, just do this s**t,” she sings on the chorus.
It fits in perfectly with the grand theme of DOPAMINE, which represents Normani’s pivot into a blossoming season of liberation. All in all, she has arrived and trust us when we say the album is worth the wait.
Elmiene – “Sweetness”
Elmiene is such a breath of fresh air in the R&B space and he’s proving this point again with his single, “Sweetness.” It’s soft in sound and delivery, but the deeper meaning is far more heart-wrenching.
As he grapples with a breakup, despite there being reminders at every turn, he somberly reflects on the idea that things would’ve remained see if they were never removed from their solid foundation.
“Sweetness was so divine to me/ Gone was the one who’d care for me/ Fell, would’ve left you gradually/ Spoiled where we’d rather be/ We could’ve been just fine/ Hanging up on the vine,” he sings on the chorus. This is yet another scintillating appetizer from the crooner as he continues to cook up his debut album.
Sinéad Harnett – Boundaries
Sinéad Harnett is urging her fans to heal their trauma by setting some boundaries per her new LP, Boundaries.
During the promotional run, she took to Instagram with a series of makeshift diary entries where she addressed the younger version of herself that needed some tender loving and understanding. “I truly believe that the only way out of your trauma is to go all the way through it. In order to do that, you have to set your boundaries and make space & time for your own healing. How deeply my soul resonates with the notion that you can ‘become the person you needed when you were a child’ and what a wonder going on that journey is. but no sugar coating here, coz truthfully therapy is the hardest, saddest and most incredible thing to do,” Harnett explained.
She feels “Burn” is the most vulnerable song on the album as it tackles her deepest fear—the idea that she’s unlovable. It’s a fear that’s universally relatable but is one of the themes on the album that brings us together. It’s a beautiful LP full of genuine reflection as she confronts trauma head-on in an effort to come out the other side healed. Just press play and get lost in it all.
Jasmine Cephas Jones – “Come My Way”
We really can’t get enough of Jasmine Cephas Jones. The Grammy and Emmy winner shared her new single, “Come My Way,” off her forthcoming album, PHOENIX.
The record is perfect for the warmer days as it’s romance personified. Jasmine herself gushed over the track, saying, “It’s very flirty. It’s the little jolt of confidence you get from falling in love where you basically say, ‘I like it here!’”
It’s a bit different than her prior releases like “Bad Habits” and “Brighter,” but only in the best ways as it displays her versatility. PHOENIX is set to arrive later this spring.
Amanda Reifer – “Devastating (Interlude)”
Unlike its title, Amanda Reifer’s “Devastating” is anything but. As she continues to tease her new project, her latest interlude is sexy. It commands your attention, but also heightens the intense complexities associated with water.
“I like to keep my songwriting conversational and honest. ‘Devastating’ is sexy and raw and I love how the melody allows the emotion to drip off my lips,” said the budding Bajan singer in a statement. She brings together the key elements of pop, soul, and reggae to unveil a fire and fluidity that we don’t see often. Yet, if Rih isn’t giving us any updates on her new album, she can pass the baton to Reifer.
Cat Burns – “end game”
Cat Burns may be delivering her “end game,” but the South London phenom is just getting started. With “end game,” the ballad is an introspective tune about a relationship that’s run its course. It’s an uncompromising song demanding honest communication regarding what it means to be endgame with someone.
It’s the official preview for her long-awaited debut album, early twenties, slated for release on July 12. Burns considers the LP to be “a mirror reflecting the complexities and emotions of this exciting era of adulthood […] a warm and relatable listen for Gen Z or those nostalgic for their formative adult years.”
When it comes to the conversation of bridging the gap between UK R&B and American R&B, make sure you keep Burns in the conversation.
Susan Carol – “Karma”
The Grammy-winning songbird Susan Carol is back, fresh off her win with a new single and a record deal. Carol is making her Def Jam debut with “Karma.”
The singer is not here to deal with the BS associated with an ex and feels karma is doing its job. She hilariously kicks off the second verse with a deep, heavy negro spiritual sigh and she declares on the chorus, “I’ll let karma get you first/ That’s just how it works/ Hit you where it hurts/ Get what you deserve.”
Of the record’s overall theme, Carol shared in a statement, “I hope people listen to ‘Karma’ and feel a sense of relatability, love, and responsibility to always put out the energy you want to receive. Treat people how you want to be treated. Love people the way you hope to be loved!”
If getting your lick back needed a theme song, this would be it.
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