As the final week of Black History Month rolls around and the 66th annual Grammy Awards have come to a close, there’s no better time of year to highlight talented Black artists in music. From Blues in the 1920s to Pop in the 2020s, music has always held a special place in the heart of Black America. So, if you’re looking to diversify your Spotify playlists, here are five of my favorite Black artists from the last year.
Amaare
Amaare was a relatively recent chart-topper in 2021, with her single “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” the remix featuring Kali Uchis. Her newest 2023 album titled Fountain Baby has an extremely diverse discography drawing from multiple different genres globally, solidifying her position as an artist to keep an eye on. With heavy R&B influences combined with Alternative Pop and a global sound, Amaare has the potential to be one of the most promising up-and-coming Black queer artists this year.
Rema
Hailed as the “Prince of Afro beats” as of 2019, Divine Ikubor (Rema) has successfully ushered in a new era of African Pop. A Nigerian prodigy at age 23, Rema is the highest and longest-charting Afrobeat artist on the Billboard Hot 100. He is also the first-ever artist to have a billion Spotify streams on an Afrobeat record. In a mere five years, it has become impossible to discuss the genre without bringing up Rema. With his now iconic producer tag at the beginning of each song, it’s widely known that where Rema goes musically a chart-topping hit is soon to follow.
steve lacy
When it comes to musical prodigies, Steve Lacy is tough to beat, having co-produced a Grammy-nominated album in his high school years. From Compton, California, Steve Lacy is known for keeping things short and sweet on his own albums. He’s become notorious over the years for producing fantastic Alternative R&B and soft Indie tracks that are often frustratingly short. When Steve Lacy does go over the three-minute mark, however, as seen on the 2023 album Gemini Rights, the song is guaranteed critical acclaim. “Bad Habit,” the major hit track on that album, earned Lacy a well-deserved Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album in 2023.
SZA
As highlighted by this year’s Grammy Awards, Miss Solana Imani Rowe (SZA) is an extremely talented R&B/Pop artist with unique vocals that set her apart. Across her career SZA has amassed 24 Grammy nominations, starting in 2017 with her first album Ctrl. At the end of 2022, SZA’s second LP SOS earned her a number-one Pop hit with “Kill Bill” as well as her first Grammy victory for Best R&B Song with “Snooze.” SZA’s distinct sound and seemingly natural talent have made her one of the most sought-after artists in the Black music scene, and she shows no sign of slowing down in the coming year.
Childish Gambino
Childish Gambino is the musically focused alter ego of multi-talented entertainment personality, Donald Glover. Childish Gambino has yet to be tied down to a specific genre, with the studio album “Awaken, My Love!” earning him a Grammy in 2016 for best R&B performance despite his roots in Rap. His debut album Camp in 2011 remains a timeless classic for its unique way of combining Rap with Pop, as tracks like “Les” and “Heartbeat” remain to be two of his most streamed songs, despite their age. Also setting him apart is his innate ability to really tell a story through his music, as seen with his popular song “This is America,” which took on racial injustice and gun violence through music. It’s his emotionally charged lyrics and narratively heavy tracks that bring Childish Gambino into the spotlight of the Black entertainment industry.
Music has always been a way to learn and empathize with different people, and learning is the best way to spend Black History Month. As this February comes to a close, it’s important to remember that celebrating Black creativity can and should be done year-round!