"I Fell in Love With an R&B B*tch"

With Jhené having just dropped this weekend. Brent Faiyaz dropping the month before. Snoh Aalegra’s stunning tiny desk performance releasing earlier this year, alongside her 2019 album “-Ugh, Those Feels Again” continuing to receive widespread acclaim. All the while Summer Walker continues to go crazy on, and control, social media.

R&B is in a great place.

Personally, I can truly say, that this is the most diverse and widespread R&B has been in my adult lifetime. Almost, every other week, it feels like there is a new album, or new artist dropping great, soulful, emotional, thought-provoking and rhythmic music and carving out their own lane within R&B.

Moreover, R&B’s growth in recent years is even more exceptional as the genre has grown, somewhat, void of the overt presence of its most prominent stars. Neither Beyoncé nor Rihanna have released a solo project since 2016. Bar a few throwaway tracks spattered about, Frank Ocean has remained his typically silent self. And although artist such as Trey Songz, Chris Brown, Usher and John Legend, have continued to release substantial amounts and high quality music, these artist no longer hold centre court on the charts, Spotify playlists or social media interactions like they used to.

Furthermore, even the previous way we used to consume R&B has changed. We are seeing, with less and less frequency the generic model of new R&B singer x biggest rapper hit single. Rather the art of R&B has become more organic and inward looking. Although there does still exist these big generic R&B radio hits which typically always control airwaves for a season. There has, to my ear, been a much larger focus on content.

Image doesn’t win anymore in R&B. You can be quirky, awkward and weird-looking like Daniel Caesar, because the focus is no longer on the person, but on the sculptures they craft and the art that they paint. If you have a story to tell, if you have emotions to let out, and if you know the right words and sounds necessary to tell this story, you’ll succeed in this R&B. You don’t need to be cocky, out there or abrasive. You can be recluse, socially awkward and anxious and still be one of the shining stars of modern day R&B. And I think this quality has been to the benefit of the art and the R&B landscape. Cause while we have this newer crop of amazing writers, vocalists and artists growing and developing both themselves and the genre. Every now and again, the stars and the grown folk come out and play.

Within the next few weeks alone, The King of the Fall, also known as, Abel, also known as The Weeknd will be, seemingly returning to his R&B throne. Very quickly followed up by PND taking his PARTYMOBILE on the road. And all the while, there remains the ever looming figure in the distance of that Avon lady finally feeling good enough to allow us to hear R9. Ultimately, we’re in a space where R&B is continuing to grow and expand, and similar to hip-hop you no longer have to listen to, follow or consume one sound and one style of R&B. Rather you can go fishing and find the sound which works for you, or at least, best fits your mood at the time. And of course, the classics ain’t going nowhere.