Jaz Karis & Jordan Ward

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Tinashe put out a call to DJs who could “match my freak” as openers for her upcoming tour while Kehlani kicked off her Crash Tour with FLO and Anycia as headliners. Pharrell postponed his beloved Something In The Water Festival until 2025 and Victoria Monét officially announced the release date for her Jaguar II deluxe album.

Here are the new releases you need to have your eye on this week:

Jaz Karis — Safe Flight

London singer Jaz Karis’ debut album Safe Flight is one of the best R&B albums you’ll hear in 2025. The 13-track project is a soaring release that tastefully blends different flavors of R&B for a project that matches the worldwide experience she had while crafting the album.

Highlights: “Tequila” Feat. Reekado Banks, “Chill On Me” Feat. June Freedom & “Love Me.”

Jordan Ward & Joony — “Jealousy”

Jordan Ward and Joony are putting their chemistry to the test with their upcoming project JRNY. They begin its rollout with “Jealousy,” the first single from the EP that is built on the alternative R&B sound they’ve both used heavily in their music. If you liked their “IDC” collaboration, you’ll love this one.

Chase Shakur — “Limerence”

Atlanta singer Chase Shakur’s dark and groovy single “Limerence” is a record you’ll have a hard time peeling yourself away from. The track is built on swirling synths, a groovy bass, and tight drums as Shakur explores lust and hate and how the latter arise in moments of unrequited love and obsession.

Amaria — “Finer Things”

Florida native Amaria will release her debut album Free Fallin’ next month and ahead of its arrival, she delivers “Finer Things.” It’s a sweet blend of ’90s R&B and contemporary neo-soul as Amaria’s delicate and lush vocals rest over the production as she sings about how good love could be if her significant other commits to her.

Genia — “Give”

Cali singer Genia is a name to keep your eye on has we head into 2025 and her latest single “Give” is another good reason why. A single from her upcoming 4 AM In The Ville EP, Genia finds her groove over the bouncy production as she lets her hair fly in the summer wind and indulges in some fun under the sun.

Raiche — “Hearts At War”

Raiche’s “Hearts At War” brings us one step closer to her Making Room EP, the follow-up to last year’s Loveland. The new record puts Raiche’s growth on full display as the Massachusetts-bred reaches a breaking point in a fractured relationship as she also comes to the realization that it needs to end.

4Fargo — “Fine Sh!t”

Georgia singer 4Fargo is on a roll in 2024. After dropping his Express&B project in the spring, 4Fargo begins the next chapter with “Fine Sh!t.” The upbeat, bass-thumping record shows love to a “fine” woman who is about her business and doesn’t play with trifling men who don’t meet her expectations.

Jae Stephens — Sellout

Jae Stephens is back with her first project since 2022’s High My Name Is. The Dallas singer checks in with Sellout, a six-track release built on shimmering and seductive records. “Sellout is me stepping into a light that I’ve wanted to dance in for a long time,” Stephens says about the EP in a press release.

Highlights: “Kiss U Back” & “Better Boy”

Xenia Manasseh — Love/Hate Pt. 2

Los Angeles-based, Kenyan-Ugandan singer Xenia Manasseh delivers Love/Hate Pt. 2 just a year after releasing its predecessor. Its 12 songs are built on strength and fire, as revealed in an Instagram post. “L/H Pt. 2 feels like pain, passion, anger, sadness but it also feels like hope,” Xenia added about the project.

Highlights: “Asali,” “Act A Fool” & “Phases”

Langston Bleu — Love Is A Luxury

Three years after sharing Bleu, Atlanta singer Langston Bleu is back with his second project Love Is Luxury. Led by “Fool’s Gold,” the project challenges the ideas of love, luxury, and self-expression. Bleu adds that the EP is “a reflection on how we value love in an era where everything comes with a price. Sometimes, we chase luxury, thinking it will make up for the lack of true connection—but is it worth it?”

Highlights: “Obsession” Feat. A.Chic, “Swerve” Feat. Deante’ Hitchcock & “Luxury”

Divine Lightbody — “You And Me”

Toronto singer Divine Lightbody impressed us greatly with the release of her single “Homies” last month, and she’s back to doing the same with her latest drop “You And Me.” It’s a sweet and passionate single that Lightbody uses to plead with her partner to confide in her and trust that she is truly there for them in their time of need.