Damn, who knew Kehlani would capture 2000s R&B nostalgia with modern authenticity twice in one year? Real ones knew. The sophisticated yearning of “Folded” disarmed listeners worldwide, and “Out the Window” follows by turning the volume up on vulnerability, and framing accountability as devotion. While a downtempo era of R&B era thrived on vibes for the past few years, the genre’s essence has always been vivid melodies, emotional hooks that beg you to sing along, and voices s

Miles into honing his craft and paying his dues, Josh Levi’s full-length debut Hydraulic  is a star-making vehicle for the Houstonian. When he opens the album over cybernated synths, testifying, “This ain’t my first rodeo,” the metaphor extends beyond romance. You can almost glimpse the roads he’s traveled to arrive at this moment in his flexible tenor. By the time cultural tastemaker and everyone’s favorite awkward Black girl, Issa Rae, signed Levi to Raedio (with distributi

In a 1995 review of Daydream , Vibe magazine wrote , “[Mariah Carey's] songs aren’t ones you’d make love to, give birth to, or more important, barbecue to. Hers are songs you’d take a shower to.”  First, I’d like to ask, what are “Emotions”, “Dreamlover”, and “Fantasy”, if not summery cookout jams? And secondly, Here For It All ( and her catalogue throughout the years) are full of anthems and hits you’d fall in love to, breakup to, praise God to, and more importantly, outlast

“I’m not in charge of submissions and I wish “Folded” could’ve gotten submitted for the main categories, but such is life. I’m grateful.”...

Toronto has given us the embattled but undeniable hitmaker Drake, the controversial Daniel Caesar, and perhaps its most underrated gem, Dylan Sinclair. The Guyanese-Filipino singer-songwriter radiates a laid-back confidence, never chasing trends but letting his silken vocals gild each track with raw honesty. His music floats between moody atmosphere and deceptively catchy grooves, and his latest single, “He’s Not Me,” is no exception, blending nostalgic warmth with a distinct

Kehlani’s “Folded” has already cemented itself as one of the most covered and reimagined R&B tracks of the year — and there’s no question...