Bring Back Soul Music Picks for March and April 2021

BRIAN MCKNIGHT drops a surprise release on his fans with a special collection of Terry Hunter Dance/Club remixes of some of his recent hits. Terry Hunter is a world renowned producer, songwriter, and remixer. Remixes includes new high energy interpretations of “Hungry 4 U”, “Forever”, “Nobody”, “Never Get Enough”, and “When I’m Gone”. “BRIAN MCKNIGHT REMIXED” is globally available now.  Listen to ‘Never  Get Enough’ now:

Krishawna’s,  new EP ‘Full Disclosure’ covers the journey of a young woman who is drawn in many directions by her faith and her environment. Produced by Ben Obi (Alexander O’Neal, Timotha Lanae), it is an attractive and real debut album by an artist with something to say.  Listen to Krishawna’s ‘AdDiction’ now:

Hatty Keane kickstarts 2021 with her infectious,feel good single “Sing It”.  This funky track is filled with lashings of  70’s flavoured vibes and references to sixties icons . A song about empowerment that will get you up dancing.
The single follows her wonderful debut EP from last year Nostalgia. Which received support from the likes of Radio Two,Mi-soul and rave reviews.  Listen to ‘Sing It’ now:

Yves Paquet’s new single ‘Cycles’  symbolizes a new beginning for Yves as an artist – a new cycle. Lyrically, the song is about the things in life that are bigger than our day to day struggles: our love, hopes & dreams for each other. It’s a life affirming song, in order to overcome stuff, we have to keep moving. When recording the track, producer Ant Whiting invited The Haggis Band, a famous UK brass band, to add a marvellous brass melody line to the final moments of the song.  Listen to ‘Cycles’ now:

Artist on the rise Marcus Shepard has arrived with his single “My Mind,” a smooth soulful ode about having someone always on your mind. Produced by J Grooves, “My Mind” transports its listeners to a breezy spring day with its catchy hook and lush vocals.  Listen to My Mind’ now:

Shelby Scott’s new up-tempo single ‘For Now’ is radio friendly and will keep you body rocking and singing its melodies all day long. Shelby is on the rise to become legendary. Her Soulful – RnPop sound and girl-next-door aura will leave you wanting more. Shelby’s laid back swagger can be heard through the sweet tones of the track.   Listen to ‘For You’ now:

After 7’s Bittersweet is a song that delves into our favorite subject of Love, Life and Relationships,” shares Kevon. “I am fairly certain that if you live life long enough you will learn that you can’t have the sunshine without the rain,” he adds. “That is exactly what “Bittersweet” explores in most if not every relationship, the pain and pleasure that works hand and glove with people who love.  Listen to ‘Bittersweet’ now:

Pepper Dem is an Up-tempo Bouncy Pop song with some elements of R&B/ Afro/Gospel vibes. The track is an Anthem to all Female Bosses especially to the Women of Colour who go through different challenges in order to be heard and become eaders but through God they overcome.  Listen to ‘Pepper Dem’ now:

To follow it up, ‘Just Like Smoke’ has marigolden laying down velvety rhymes that roll eloquently off her tongue, complemented by spacious clean electric guitar and a gradually growing beat.  “This song is about embracing impermanence. It’s about listening to your intuition, investing in yourself so you can care for others, and remembering that nothing, neither good or bad, lasts forever.”  Listen to ‘Just Like Smoke’ now:

“You” is a song that highlights the importance of a person’s significant other being incomparable to anyone else. The song also conceptualizes reassurance to one’s significant other to not doubt the special bond that glues one’s love together. The music video highlights and celebrates love, admiration, loyalty, and overall good energy.  Leair brings the early 2000s neo-soul vibe into 2021. ”  Watch the video to ‘You’ now on YouTube:

His latest endeavor is his new 18-track deluxe version of his acclaimed album Flashing Lights. has amalgamated a collection of sonic stories of coming into adulthood. TONYB. explains the overarching themes of Flashing Lights sharing, “It’s a symbol of how life is ever changing and not everything will always be clear. Even in some of the challenging moments, even when everything is dark, you can still find the light.”  Listen to ‘Flashing Lights’ now:

‘Thinkin’ About You” is the sensational debut single from soul singer, Carmy Love.   Whether moving on from a romantic relationship, friendship or maybe even a bad year, ‘Thinkin’ About You” highlights the importance of maintaining a positive mindset when looking to the future.   Camry oozes attitude throughout her performance, moving effortlessly from regret in the verse to defiance in the chorus:  Listen to ‘Thinkin About You now:

Thought About You’, this chapter represents a side of me that’s often seen on stage – impulsive, passionate and in the moment. I think this song is a reflection of all those things – I flipped the script from previous tracks in a nod to sensual psychedelic soul. We worked with producer Shawn Lee on this one – a real dude who completely understood that sound I was trying to go for authentically.  I’d describe it as my take on a mid-70s head bop.  Listen to ‘Thought About You’ now:

Becky Cane’s new single ‘Apartment’ with it’s smooth baseline along with her unique voice on “Apartment” is an instant vibe that’s must for any flle-good playlist.  Apartment is a feel-good vibe with all-day play value and Becky Cane is an artist with a voice and journey like no other.  Listen to ‘Apartment’ now:

‘Who Is She?’ produced by KDaGreat, is a smooth riding track topped with cheeky confident lyrics that incorporate elements of African rhythms in the production and an R&B/Soul vocal approach, something I like to refer to as having an Afroclassic vibe. The track aims to fully introduce ‘Agyakomah’ to listeners and give them a taste of what they can expect from my first full body of work.  Listen to ‘Who Is She?’ now:

Don’t Tell Me No, is an unapologetic assertion of vulnerability.  “To me, my song Don’t Tell Me No, has a timeless sound. It’s Classic. I really wanted to channel that feeling in the video; so I decided to pay homage to an era that represents that to me, the jazz era,” mentions Brave. “I wanted something simple, elegant, clean and classic. A beautiful black piano, a talented pianist (Johnnie “Smurf” Smith), and an old school mic,” she adds.  Listen to ‘Don’t Tell Me No’ now:

With a universe close to Kaytranada, inspired by the French Touch but also by the Comoros, its native lands where the photo of the cover of the EP was taken, we invite you to discover DJ Kakashi’s 1st EP .  Composed of 6 tracks, the EP includes a piece with African sounds. (“Stan”), more electro tracks (“BnB”) or even more pop with “Linked”.   Listen to ‘ICHI’ now:

Following Dalya’s single “It’s Like”, comes the catchy and empowering song “Waiting for love”. Co-written by Dalya Riley and Keith Andes, 
“Waiting for love” is an uplifting and empowering song based hope and not giving up on love despite the setbacks one may encounter. Its infectious, catchy and strong chorus together with beautiful harmonies will stay fresh in your mind long after the song has finished.  Listen to ‘Waiting For Love’ now:

Every monster has a genesis, every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.
We all have monster’s inside of us, that show their face from time to time. Very rarely do we get to hear that monster’s story….how did the monster come to be ? and what does monster have to say for itself? Stick around will ya.  Listen to ‘Monster’ now:

Entitled “I’m Tired” the track narrates letting go of friendships that don’t serve you and saying goodbye to people who mistreat you or take your time and energy for granted. Claires’ soulful, sultry vocals float effortlessly atop the relaxed melodies and jazz-soaked instrumentation, making the slow-paced track both hypnotic and intoxicating.  Listen to ‘I’m Tired’ now:

Entitled “Easy Tiger”, the empowering song narrates letting women take control of their decisions, whether that be in a romantic relationship, friendship, or at work. She confides, “Sometimes I feel like people aren’t listening to you when you ask for something or say something. It’s about stepping into the alter ego and telling men around you that you are strong and smart and beyond capable and that it’s their turn to listen.” Listen to ‘Easy Tiger’ now:

“Situationships,” Miya’s latest single, provides insight into her songwriting process. The song tells the story of a person trying to manage emotions and expectations in a relationship.
“I was on Twitter one day and one of the topics that was really trending was situationships, and I was like I can talk about that because I’ve experienced that,” she recalled.
Listen to ‘Situationships’ now:

With no airbrushing and no studio trickery, Raw Soul Express are still the soul and funk force of nature they were when they released their first album 45 years ago and their new single, Fate of the World, sees the band as tight and as vital as ever. Retaining their original core members, a feat almost unheard of in the music world.  Listen to ‘Fate Of The World Mix 4’ now:

Lorraine Bautista’s “Had It All” is a pop/vocal track with piano and string arrangement. The song is especially dedicated to any of those who may simply be going through a break up or experiencing nostalgia from a past relationship in light of this past valentine’s, or perhaps in recent events. I hope this song resonates with listeners out there going through any situation of heartache and nostalgia.  Listen to ‘Had It All’ now:

“This is an extremely personal song to me,” explains Akeylah. “I’m starting to realize that this isn’t just about my journey, but everyone’s journey. This song is about life.” While the song
starts off with a sense of doubt and frustration, it moves the listener through her journey and struggles, culminating in the decision that we can get to where we want, no matter what it takes.  Listen to ‘Uncertainty’ now:

I wrote ‘With You’ about my current relationship being happy and in love is a wonderful feeling. At first I couldn’t understand the different emotions I was feeling because I had never felt
like this before, but once I realized what was happening I just let it flow. ‘With You’ touches on the different emotions I was feeling at different stages but all put into one song.  Listen to ‘With You’ now:

At times I would find myself complaining about how artists don’t write REAL love songs anymore, so I took it upon myself and created what was missing.   My goal with this record was to recreate the golden era of R&B, the “Motown Sound” inspired by one of my faves, David Ruffin.  Listen to ‘Tears On My Pillow’ now:

This song is called You Got Something They Don’t and it’s basically saying that You have a quality no one else has so you should acknowledge that and cherish because it’s the best thing that
happened in this world. It’s part of an EP Called Pray First, Prey Later meaning to pray first for what you want and then go get your prey.  Listen to ‘You Got Something They Don’t’ now:

Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez latest single “Better For You” grapples with the gaze, focusing on the experience of being objectified and the ambiguous response to this reality. The song is most explicitly about sex and the ways in which heterosexual dynamics often prioritize men’s pleasure. “Better For You” highlights the ways in which women contort themselves physically and emotionally to be more desirable.   Listen to ‘Better For You’ now:

“Assurance” and “Call Me” together illustrate the journey of JAWAN attempting to salvage a relationship by acknowledging his faults and declaring his commitment to improving (“Assurance”), but it proves too little, too late. This leaves him reminiscing on the relationship and leaving a door open for communication (“Call Me”). “I’m super excited to put these new records out,” said JAWAN.  Listen to ‘Assurance’ now:

Chris Savor ask “Did You Ever Know is about when you are left questioning if an ex ever knew what you were going through or ever really cared. It has a pensive vibe, but I kept it upbeat to signal her strength: “I’m not something that you leave behind.” I could imagine this being played late at night while driving or at the beach looking out to the sea — those moments where your mind starts to wander back to the past to make sense of where you have been and dream of where you are going next.”.  Listen to ‘”Did You Ever Know’ now:

Date Night boasts collaborations with fellow iconic R&B groups Kut Klose and Shai, as well as Houston rapper Lil’ Flip. The 8-track, digital only EP, delivers the smooth sensual grooves that H-Town fans have grown accustomed to hearing. Date Night is led by singles “Super Love” a sexy R&B anthem, and the slow jam “Lose Control” a slinky duet with Kut Klose.   Listen to ‘Super Love’  now:

The song is a pretty amazing slice of grown folk R’n’B, harking back to Michael Jackson and is definitely one to get the dancefloor full.  After the rough time he seems to have had over the years, we’re trying our best to make sure that all the fans who want new music from him, get to hear it. We haven’t got the most amazing connections yet,
but we’re building and trying to help everyone involved at Eminence as much as we can.  Listen to ‘Another Night Sage’ now:

“Sometimes when it’s too much in this loud, frenzied world, a quiet moment with someone we trust is what we need in order to reset and keep going to work toward a better day,” she says. “I don’t know if I’ve ever released a song as important to me as this one; I’ve never openly addressed my anxiety and depression before, making this song intensely personal, and I want others to feel they have someone to relate to if they feel the same.”  Watch ‘The Quiet’ on YouTube now:

New single by Doves Peak, an R&B/soul duo based out of Brooklyn, NY.Featuring vivid keyboard harmonies and pristine vocals, “Part of Your Life” combines both the vintage sounds of 70’s R&B with the stellar post-production work of Tariq Khan, most noted for his work with Bilal, Erykah Badu and D’Angelo. A love song, “A Part of Your Life” echoes the importance of closeness and bonding, especially needed during the pandemic and its ensuing isolation.  Listen to ‘Part of Your Life’  now: 

There’s no doubt Rita Ray is a powerhouse for years to come, and “Love Ain’t the Same” solidifies her position as one of the rising forces in today’s soul music. The single has already caught the attention of BBC London, earning her an exclusive interview on the Robert Elms’ show. While she works closely with the band, it’s the femme fatale front and centre in composing, arranging, singing, writing lyrics. Rita Ray’s second album is due in Fall 2021.  Listen to ‘Love Ain’t the Same’  now: