UK R&B is alive and well: A reintroduction of the nostalgic genre to a contemporary audience
Jade Loricia
In recent years the landscape of Black music, globally has changed. Traditionally, R&B was the sound most recognisable with mainstream black culture, although, as time has passed, a shift has occurred. Rap, along with its subsidiaries such as drill music, have entered and dominated the mainstream and in the UK - the likes of Stormzy, Dave and Central Cee are at the forefront of this move. Hip-Hop is played more on the radio, as artists no longer struggle to get their sound to their audiences who can also see their favourites on stages as big as Glastonbury.
Whilst there are bigger R&B artists like Mahalia and Ella Mai, and more recently the girl band FLO, the shift in music means that smaller R&B artists often do not get the same recognition and push from the industry as their rap counterparts. This has led consumers to assume that UK R&B is dead.
Dear reader, I am here to tell you otherwise.
Post 2020 - the trend cycle has pivoted to a resurgence in the influence of the late 90s and early 2000s, which is most popularly known as ‘Y2K’. The influences transcend fashion, hair and make-up and such inspiration from the era is evident in music, especially in R&B where the genre was very prominent. FLO have done this impressively, with many describing their sound as being reminiscent of Desinty’s Child and the soundtracks from the Y2K such as the Bratz movie.
As well as the trend cycle to rap shifting, the manner in which consumers interact with artists and engage with their music has also transformed, and the app TikTok is to be held in account. Videos that are seconds long to now 10-minute-long videos, often feature sounds by creators or artists that play a snippet of a song - usually the chorus - that become associated with the whole song and these snippets are often played at live events. Many do not resort to playing the song in it’s entirety as they believe they already know it through the snippet they have heard on the app. TikTok’s algorithm, aside from featuring content that the app wishes to promote, will also upload videos that you, the user engages with. Therefore, if you wish to absorb something such as UK R&B, it is ultimately up to you to discover it, if executives do not wish to push the sounds. TikTok has allowed artists to independently promote their sound to reach their desired audience. Allow me to introduce you to some.
Artist ‘Natanya’ (@n4t4nya), who opened up for FLO at their concert in March this year, sports an early 2000s nostalgic style in her fashion as well as her sound. With soothing notes of neo-soul and jazz, her song ‘Angel’ incorporates dance with romantic lyricism, as her listener is transported to a melancholic bliss.
‘Essosa’s’ (@essosajoy), song ‘Waste My Time’ has passionate vocals and storytelling that is reminiscent of Sadé and Aaliyah. The synths of the instrumental reveal an archetypal 90s rhythm and blues sound. With lyrics describing romance and courtship, the song transforms you to an era of flip phones and leopard print mini-skirts.
‘Danni Tesfay’ (@dannitesfay) is a self-proclaimed ‘UK R&B girlie’ who is bringing ‘old school R&B back’. The smooth vocals of her single ‘Hit The Road’ mirrors the girl next door vibes of popular artists such as Cassie, Amerie and Ashanti. The loop of the beat and the hook is textbook from the golden era of contemporary R&B.
Finally, the first single ‘Need You’ by NAOMI (@naomibk) is a gospel song with an R&B sound. Whilst very similar to the classic gospel group Mary Mary, NAOMI’s song is a reinvention of the blend of both genre’s that does not sound like a gimmick but rather a homage inspired by her faith and her clear love for the sound.
Aside from being black women from the UK, one quality all these artists possess in common, is an unmatched song writing ability that is a testament to their talent that should not go unnoticed. The poetry in their songs, reintroduces the art of storytelling in music that the development of a ‘catchy hook’ in the TikTok sphere of the industry has denied. Poetry that discusses love, heartbreak, freedom to be and all that is associated, embedded on comforting sonics, that perfectly exemplify that UK R&B is most definitely not dead but simply underappreciated.
