Historically, R&B music has been a predominantly male-dominated genre with lyrics that can often be sexist, misogynistic, and derogatory in nature. For years, women consumed this music because we quite literally didn’t have any other options within the genre. But we have come a long way with so many more women killing it in the industry these days. We all have been blessed to witness the rise of artists such as SZA, Kehlani, Jhené Aiko, Ella Mai, and Tinashe. These women really created a path and space for newer female artists to thrive in the genre. We all love these women and their music, but if you wanted to dive deeper into R&B, listen to and support some newer artists, and vibe, this list might just be for you.
H.E.R.
H.E.R. rose to popularity after she was featured on Daniel Caesar’s song “Best Part” in 2017. I remember listening to the song for the first time and falling in love with her voice. I instantly looked up her music and have been hooked ever since. Hands down, my favorite album has to be I Used to Know Her, with some of my favorites from the album being “Could’ve Been,” “Take You There,” “Lord Is Coming,” and “I’m Not OK.”
Queen Naija
After posting videos on YouTube and being a contestant on season 13 of American Idol, Queen Naija is finally starting to gain the recognition she deserves. She became popular after the release of her single “Medicine” which got her a platinum plaque. She has gone on to release three albums, the first one being a collection of short voice clippings comparable to short diary entries. Her album misunderstood in 2020 was her first featuring full songs and she did not disappoint. Some songs that are a must to check out include: “Say What You Mean,” “Love Language,” “Pressure,” and “Butterflies Pt. 2.”
Kiana Ledé
Similar to Queen Naija, Kiana Ledé got her start on YouTube, posting covers of popular songs. Her “Hotline Bling” cover garnered millions of views because of Ledé’s unique twist of stripping down the song to have a more R&B vibe. After years of just covering other artists, she finally got signed to a label and has started releasing music. Last year she was also featured on a Queen Naija song called “I’m Her” which is a beautiful symphony of both of their voices. She has gone on to make music with Kehlani, 6LACK, and Offset. Her voice has to be one of the most versatile when it comes to range and style I have heard from a female R&B artist.
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Taylor has been in the public eye since 2006, but only very recently started putting out music. I hardly ever hear people talk about her music so I had to shout her out. Her second studio album that she released in 2018 called K.T.S.E was produced by Kanye West. She said she finally had the musical and artistic freedom on that album, thanks to Kanye, and you can tell that is true when comparing that album to her first one. “Rose In Harlem” and “No Manners” are some of my favorites. My only complaint with this album is that it’s too short! However, she redeemed herself on her 2020 album called The Album because it had 23 songs with features from Kehlani, Quavo, Future, and Big Sean, as well as the legendary Lauryn Hill and Miss Elliot.
These women are really switching up the narrative around women in the music industry, especially in the R&B and rap genres. It is refreshing to listen to music that promotes messages about female empowerment, self-love, and even political statements. I have so many more artists to add to this list, so I might just have to make a part two to this article.
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