Picture someone releasing a song just for you as a Valentine’s Day gift. That would be so romantic, right?
If it hasn’t happened for you yet, some of our favorite R&B and Soul artists have recently dropped new singles and albums, just in time for the day of love. From Mary J. Blige to Jamie Foxx, here are five releases to add to your Valentine’s Day playlist.
Mary J. Blige – More Than A Lover
Mary J. Blige could be singing about telling Cupid to get the heck on, and I would stream it regardless. When I saw the legend dropped a love song, I quickly hit “add to playlist.” In “More Than A Lover,” Blige sings about a man who’s more than just her significant other. This tune is for real lovers who are best friends with a relationship deeper than the ocean.
Jamie Foxx – Somebody
Somebody pinch me! Jamie Foxx returned to the music scene and released what many are calling “grown folk music.” When I listened to “Somebody,” it sounded like a ’90s single, very similar to the music D’Angelo made.
Brent Faiyaz – ICON
When talking about R&B artists keeping the genre alive and well, Brent Faiyaz should be mentioned. The artist dropped his third studio album ICON, and social media can’t stop talking about it. Faiyaz also released the music video for “Wrong Faces,” and in it, he’s doing something many R&B fans have missed: seeing artists singing passionately in the rain.
Victoria Monét – Let Me
Victoria Monét is one of my favorite artists, so when she releases new music, I am all ears. If you’re a lover girl or a lover boy, “Let Me” is all the romantic things you want to hear in a song. Monét sings about being her significant other’s light, winter coat, ride or die, better half, all of the above. She can see straight through him (he’s like glass), she knows what he needs, and she can give him that and more. I also love how the song is longer than the usual two-minute tune that has become the norm.
Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern
When Jill Scott drops, she demands attention without even trying. To Whom This May Concern is described as a “soul-stirring body of work,” and if you listen to the single “Pressha,” you’ll understand why. Scott says, “I wasn’t the aesthetic/ I guess, I guess, I get it/ So much pressure, to appear just like them.”