Another homegrown talent for RnB fans to keep their eye on this year as London based singer/songwriter Rene debuts her first single, ‘Underwater‘. The track showcases Rene‘s rich, soulful and emotive vocal with smoooth electro-RnB Vibes.

Take a listen to the stunning debut below and check back soon for details of an EP dropping this year.

@CarlyMond

If like me you’re devastated about missing Gallant’s tour over the past few weeks, you can find comfort in the arrival of his stunning new single, ‘Bourbon‘. Bringing life to his self penned layered lyrics with that incredible falsetto we know and love him for, Gallant delivers a soulful ballad with an edge that feels current, yet also reminiscent of early 90’s RnB.

Gallant has just announced the title of his debut album, ‘Ology‘ which will be released on April 06th, pre-order it here and you’ll get Bourbon straight away as well as singles ‘Weight in Gold‘ and ‘Skipping Stones‘ which features Jhene Aiko. And whilst you wait for the new album why not revisit his first EP ‘Zebrahere.

@CarlyMond

After releasing his third album, ‘Wildheart‘ in June last year Miguel has delivered a new EP entitled, ‘Rogue Waves‘ containing five vastly different remixes of his track ‘Waves‘.

Whilst some of the vibes on the EP are lacking a soulful sound, this remix featuring Travis Scott, produced by Cash Dillon blends RnB with rap perfectly. Check out the retro style video below and pick up the Waves EP here

@CarlyMond

Fresh from informing Radio 1 listeners that her debut album is “nearly finished”, UK’s queen of electro-RnB Nao drops her new single, ‘Fool to Love‘.

Staying true to her distinctively pop/soul/electro hybrid sound, ‘Fool to Love‘ is uptempo and infectious. Having just announced a world tour (sorry guys the London date is already sold out!) 2016 is looking like a big year for Nao!
Pick up ‘Fool to Lovehere

@CarlyMond

Some collaborations are just sonically superior – this is one of them. Soulstress Yuna is getting ready to release her new album, ‘Chapters‘ in May and has just released the second single, ‘Crush‘ which features Usher.

Sultry, soothing and addictive, click below to listen and pick up ‘Crushhere.

@CarlyMond

Singer / songwriter Raleigh Ritchie has been grabbing our attention since 2013 when he released his debut EP, ‘The Middle Child‘. Two EP’s, sold out gigs and lots of anticipation later today he drops his debut album entitled, ‘You’re a Man Now Boy‘.

Undeniably distinctive, Raleigh delivers 18 highly personal, self penned tracks on the album, blending a perfect balance of vulnerability and accessibility on each song. Whilst tracks like, ‘You’re a Man Now Boy‘ and ‘Never Better‘ provide insights into Raleigh’s private life, others such as ‘The Last Romance‘ and ‘The Chased‘ play out like stories that listeners are taken on a journey for. There are lots of upbeat, fun moments too with tracks like ‘Keep it Simple‘ which features Stormzy and ‘The Greatest‘.

The slick production of the album comes from the likes of DJ Dahi, Sounwave, Chris Loco and more. If you want to fully appreciate the beauty of this album, takes some time and really listen, Raleigh Ritchie is not making background music with this album, it is a truly creative piece of work and an impressive, impactful debut.

@CarlyMond

The powerhouse that is Phonte and Nicolay aka The Foreign Exchange are back with a new album entitled, ‘Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey‘ set for release on August 21st. This new project sees soul singer Carmen Rogers joining the group as well as long term collaborator Zo! and vocalist Tamisha Waden.

Arguably their most eclectic album to date, ‘Tales‘ explores throwback sounds, stepper vibes and even dips into some house on, ‘Asking For a Friend‘. This is not the typical sound we are used to from FE, but it is a nod to the ever evolving genre of RnB and proves that they can maintain relevancy over their 10 year career.

Moments of brilliance come from, ‘Body‘ and ‘As Fast As You Can‘ with vocals from Carmen and Phonte complimenting each other beautifully and ‘Face In the Reflection‘ shines lyrically, reminding us that these guys really can do it all!

Click here for an EXCLUSIVE first listen in full to the album and watch the video below for the first single, ‘Asking For a Friend.

@CarlyMond

There was a time when Bad Boy Records were the hottest thing in Hip Hop and RnB with the likes of Biggie, Mase, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, Mary J Blige, 112 and of course Puffy/Diddy all dropping killer tracks that were storming the charts globally. The influence of the music that came from this collection of artists should not be underestimated and it could be argued that they created that Hip Hop / RnB bridge sound that we now know and love from the likes of Drake and Tinashe.

With the arrival of Neo-Soul in the late 90’s and the rising emphasis on the need for ‘real’ music with a more organic sound, along with a lot of personal problems in the lives of the Bad Boy artists, there was a rapid decline in hits, despite efforts to try and re-launch New Edition and re-vamp 112.

Rewind a few years later to last night and Diddy storms onto the BET Awards stage to remind everyone what they’ve been missing!! With a killer 10 minute tribute that saw 112, Mase, Faith Evans, Lil Kim, French Montana, Jadakiss and Pharrell performing with unmatchable energy and conviction the Bad Boy camp definitely grabbed the attention of everyone at home and in the audience (who were seriously hyped!)

There’s always a risk with throwback performances that artists might just end up proving that their time is over, luckily this was the complete opposite! Everyone looked good, sounded great and even Lil Kim was back in full force bursting up from nowhere and owning the stage. But this reunion wasn’t just about nostalgia, it serves as a reminder that Bad Roy Records made INCREDIBLE music that still sounds fresh and with the last track being a forthcoming one from Pharrell and Diddy, lets hope that Bad Boy Entertainment are coming back to conquer once again!

Click Here to Watch the Full Bad Boy Performance!

@CarlyMond

Now THIS is how you start a week right – with incredible new music from RnB royalty!!

Yes the legendary Janet Jackson is back with her new single, ‘No Sleep‘ taken from her forthcoming album (her first in seven years!) entitled, ‘Conversations In a Cafe‘.

Seductive and soulful with playful lyrics and a catchy hook, ‘No Sleep‘ sees Janet back where she belongs – with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis on production. The single is available from midnight (23rd June) and coincides with the announcement of her ‘Unbreakable‘ world tour.

Welcome back Janet Jackson , you have been missed!!!

@CarlyMond

Janet Jackson – No Sleep

It’s been a while since we have heard any new material from Frank Ocean, then yesterday he broke his musical silence with an enchanting cover of The Isley Brothers classic, ‘At Your Best (You Are Love)‘, which he has expressed is a tribute to the late Aaliyah on what would have been her 36th Birthday.

The cover is stripped back, understated and hears Frank Ocean’s vocals sounding hotter than ever. There is no word of any other new recordings from the artist as yet, however he did sign under new management last summer so hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for that much anticipated follow up album to ‘Channel Orange‘.

@CarlyMond

Frank Ocean – At Your Best