Once again, we’ve been accosted by discourse about the current state of R&B. Despite his status as an elder statesman in hip hop and R&B, billionaire mogul Diddy decided to take to Twitter last week to ask the public: “Who killed R&B?”
He received many responses, including accusations that the exploitative contracts he had his artists sign played a role in the demise of the genre. Whatever his sincere intentions were, it bears repeating — again — that R&B is alive and well. It may not be as popular on the airwaves as it was in its 90s heydey, and you may have to search a little harder to find it (which is what people probably mean when they say R&B is dead) but there are artists like Ari Lennox, Summer Walker, SZA, Kehlani, Chloe x Halle, Doechii, Jazmine Sullivan, and countless others who continue to hold down the beloved genre.
xoNecole has compiled a list of five up-and-coming artists to know who are making R&B for the new generation of listeners.
Sonta
Instagram| Twitter | Spotify
With nearly 10 million views on Youtube and 400k+ monthly listeners on Spotify, the Chicago based singer Sonta has cited artists like Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Beyoncé as influences for her sound. On her song “Flaws and All” that incorporates a sample of Nivea’s “Complicated,” Sonta has deftly brought the early 2000s flavor while maintaining a modern sensibility to her music.
Tiana Blake
Instagram| Twitter | Spotify
Fans of artists like Kehlani, Mahalia or Joyce Wrice will love London-born artist Tiana Blake. Citing Brandy as one of her main influences, Blake is definitely interested in preserving the R&B of the 90s and 00s. With songs such as the MNEK-produced “Interrupted,” Blake definitely deserves a spot on your R&B playlist.
Amber Mark
Instagram| Twitter | Spotify
Earlier this year, Pitchfork rated Amber Mark’s debut album Three Dimensions Deep an eight out of ten, referring to the project as “energetic, lush, and measured.” The singer who split her childhood between Germany, Nepal, India, and then finally New York has brought her eclectic rearing into her experimental and genre pushing music grounded in the R&B genre.
Kaywht
Instagram| Twitter |Spotify
While still in the early stage of her career, Kaywht has already proven to have an immense amount of promise with her song “Pity.” Already the Dallas, Texas based singer and songwriter has amassed over 47K+ monthly listeners on Spotify, accruing a million plus streams on the song “11:30 Interlude” alone. If you haven’t heard the name Kaywht before now, get familiar.
Savannah Re
Instagram| Twitter| Spotify
As another one of Toronto, Canada’s great musical exports, Savannah Re’s sultry and silky voice paired with her cool demeanor brings to mind the likes of Aaliyah and early Mary J. Blige. Once described as one of Toronto’s “best-kept secrets,” Re has made her mark on the music world, being named Spotify’s Equal Canada Ambassador, landing a billboard in Time Square, getting a SZA and Timbaland co-sign, and being featured in commercials for Google Pixel — if you aren’t already listening to this Canadian songtress, you are far behind.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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