Grammy nominated R&B Singer-songwriter and record producer ERIC ROBERSON has announced the 10th anniversary tour of his sixth album, Music Fan First. SEE DETAILS BELOW:
On the tour, Roberson adds:
"Creating Music Fan First was all about forgetting the rules of making music and focusing on chasing a feeling. Me and the band are bringing a new show and more importantly that feeling with the Music Fan First 10th Anniversary Tour."
New York-based Singer/songwriter ANDREA MARTIN is probably best known for writing hits for Monica ("Before You Walk Out of My Life"), SWV ("You're the One"), Toni Braxton ("I Love Me Some Him"), En Vogue ("Don't Let Go"), Angie Stone ("Wish I Didn't Miss You"), Melanie Fiona ("It Kills Me"), released her only album in 1998 via Arista Records titled, The Best of Me which features the singles, "Share the Love" and the Billboard Hot 100 entry, "Let Me Return the Favor".
Dutch Singer-songwriter NICOLE BUS returns with her new single, "Mr. Big Shot", which is the follow-up to her successful debut single, "You", which peaked at No. 1 on the Adult R&B chart for five weeks and is set to appear on Bus' upcoming debut album.
Bus' is currently the opening act on rapper Common's Let Love Tour. Visit www.thinkcommon.com for more details.
Grammy nominated R&B Singer-songwriter ANGIE STONE has released her ninth solo LP Full Circle which follows after 2015's Dream album.
Full Circle features contributions from Candice Nelson, Belawa Muhammad, Teak Underdue and Walter Millsap and includes the empowering lead single, "Dinosaur".
Grammy Award-winning Singer-songwriter and producer Johntá Austin returns with his first single, "Love Angel" produced by Troy Taylor and Spruill from his long-awaited debut solo album, Love, Sex & Religion, slated to arrive August 2nd via EMPIRE.
On his upcoming album, Austin adds:
“For me, it’s a refreshing take on R&B. I wanted to add something to the genre’s resurgence. There’s a theme of love throughout the songs. I’m continuing the feeling I always put inside the music, which is the beauty of romance. The song is about how desire is angelic.”
Grammy nominated R&B Singer, songwriter and actor J. HOLIDAY announces the first leg of his 10-city "Underrated" tour that will kick off August 3rd in Birmingham, Alabama and wrap up September 6th in Indianapolis, Indiana. THE UNDERRATED TOUR DATES: August 3 - Birmingham, AL August 9 - Chicago, IL August 17 - Columbus, OH August 18 - Lexington, KY August 19 - Bowling Green, KY August 23 - Shelby, NC August 24 - Charlotte, NC August 29 - Cambridge, MA September 1 - New York, NY September 6 - Indianapolis, IN Tickets are currently on sale. J. Holiday recently released his latest single, "Feels Right", which you can listen HERE! from his upcoming fourth studio LP Time.
Emerging R&B Singer-songwriter AVERY WILSON returns with his newest EP entitled, 8:34.
The 4-track set was written and produced by Wilson himself and the title was inspired by the exact time he was born.
The set includes the single "Callin".
On the project, Wilson adds:
"Everything I've been through in my life has put me in position to be everything that I am. 8:34 is my musical prime example of maturing in life, love, and self - first hand."
Emerging Singer-songwriter JAY LYRIQ who hails from Tallahassee, FL delivers the visual for his latest single, "Schedule".
Produced by Geo Hall, Jay Lyriq explains the actions that led to him losing his ex to another man. See the "Schedule" Video HERE!
On the Ty Williams Jr. directed visual, Jay Lyriq adds: "The video just showcases what happens in situations when you don't pay attention or when you neglect somebody who's been there for you." "Schedule" follows after Jay Lyriq's well-received interpolation of 112's classic, "Cupid" retitled "Cupid 2.0".
In honor of R&B vet JAHEIM birthday, @RnBJunkieOfficial take a look back at the Grammy nominated Singer-songwriter top 10 standout songs. The songs span over his seven studio albums, so without further ado, we present, Jaheim's Top 10 Best Songs:
10 THE CHOSEN ONE
An underrated gem from Jaheim’s third album Ghetto Classics which declares his belief and desire to love just one woman.
09 BACKTIGHT
One of the standout songs from Jaheim’s sophomore album Still Ghetto, that showcases his vulnerability and trying to be reacquired with a past love.
08 AIN’T LEAVIN’ WITHOUT YOU
Released as the lead single from Jaheim’s Grammy-nominated fifth album Another Round and produced by Kay Gee of Naughty by Nature. This song utilizes a sample of De La Soul’s “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)”.
07 ANYTHING (FEATURING NEXT)
A timeless R&B love song which features Next and co-written by RL. This song was released as the third single from his debut album Ghetto Love.
06 REMARKABLE (FEATURING TERRY DEXTER)
A remarkable duet with Terry Dexter from the Ghetto Love album and while not released as a single, this song has held up nicely in his repertoire.
05 PUT THAT WOMAN FIRST
Jaheim’s highest-charting hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 to date. The second single from his sophomore album Still Ghetto and samples William Bell’s 1968 hit, “I Forgot to Be Your Lover”.
04 AGE AIN’T A FACTOR
The lead single from Jaheim’s sixth album Appreciation Day which speaks on women aging gracefully and getting better with time.
03 I’VE CHANGED (FEATURING KEYSHIA COLE)
From Jaheim’s fourth album The Makings of a Man and released as the third single and features R&B star Keyshia Cole. Atlantic Starr’s “Let’s Get Close” is sampled.
02 JUST IN CASE
Jaheim’s breakthrough song in the mainstream from his debut album Ghetto Love. Issued as the second single, this powerful song was written by RL of the R&B group Next.
01 FINDING MY WAY BACK
Released as the second single from Jaheim’s fifth album Another Round, this song earned him two Grammy nominations. Produced by Carvin & Ivan and written by then rising R&B sensation Miguel.
Last September British and Grammy Award-winning R&B Singer-songwriter ESTELLE released her fifth reggae-infused studio LP Lovers Rock and has dropped the visual for her latest single entitled "Lights Out". Filmed in Australia, click HERE for the Estelle and Denzel Williams directed visual. On the track, Estelle adds: "Lights Out is my favorite song off the Lovers Rock album as it embodies what Lovers Rock is to me. The song came effortless to me and I love how it expresses the beauty in vulnerability and desire."
RL from the multi-platinum selling R&B group Next releases his latest solo single, "You Are", which pays tribute to several different women in his life including his mother, wife and daughter, who are all featured on the singles cover art.
Written by RL, the heartfelt song marks his return as a solo artist after recently reuniting with his group Next on tour and recording.
Grammy nominated R&B Singer-songwriter, author, advocate and TV personality SYLEENA JOHNSON recently released the new empowering female anthem “Woman” which serves as the lead single and title track from her upcoming 9th studio LP on January 31st. I caught up with Syleena where she updates us on her self-help book, The Weight Is Over, new music, Upcoming events and much more...
TERRANCE: Since our last interview, you’ve published a self-help book titled, The Weight Is Over: My Journey to Loving My Body From the Outside In. Update us on that and why it was important for you to share your message with the world.
SYLEENA JOHNSON: Well, I’ve been thinking about this book since 2013. I had a dream about this book actually and started writing it then. I went to a couple of ghostwriters and I stayed with Amera McCoy and sat with her and she was pretty good. She’s the only one that kinda got my vision but I still had to take over and write my own story. She showed me how to structure it though, but I had to take over because I knew that if I had written a book and my fans read it and they did not hear my voice when they were reading it, then it wouldn’t be right. I finished writing the book last year at the end of September and it came out on October 15th. I just felt like as an entertainer, you know, we sing about our life stories all the time, but I thought it would be a more intimate look into the things that I deal with as a woman and to be able to connect with other women especially since I’m a Health Awareness advocate. I advocate for black women and their health. I’m big on it and I want us to change our diets and I want us to eat better, but it’s really not so much about weight loss, it’s moreso; about depression, so The Weight Is Over is anonymously the ideology of the pressure of being a woman, you know what I’m saying? So The Weight Is Over is about changing your perspective so that the stress that’s in your life isn’t so heavy on you all the time. You change your perspective about each one.
TERRANCE: Getting into the lead single “Woman”. Talk about the events that led up to recording that particular song.
SYLEENA JOHNSON: Oh my Goodness. Well, you know what? Let me tell you something. God must’ve knew something about that song. Based on what we are going through right now as women in America and this attack with this abortion bill, it is just outrageous with the attack on women. The way that police officers are shooting us down dead and we’re being thrown to the ground. We’re being disrespected to such a high level right now and it’s outrageous and outlandish. It’s interesting because this song could not have come at a better time. It’s almost like, if you listen to the lyrics, it speaks to every problem that’s going on right now. I was pushed to write this record simply because it’s interesting, I’m on the other side of the couch now. If you think about it, Sister Circle is a press forum, you know what I’m saying? People come to us on their press runs, so at the end of the day I’ve been privy to information that as an artist I wasn’t and it changed my viewpoint on America as a woman and our role as a woman in America. When you’re an artist and I don’t mean to say this in a bad way but you’re kinda in lalaland and oh everything’s cute, great and Earthly Joys because it’s about creativity, but no that’s not what’s poppin’ in them streets. They’re out here shooting us down. Another thing too, is the internet has become a press outlet, low key, because now everyone have access to everything that’s going on in our nation. Their amplified and the fact there’s footage floating around of that woman that was shot down by that police officer. That’s not something we would have seen maybe ten years ago, we probably wouldn’t have had that type of access and so I think because I’m a little more aware, I think that record comes from a place of anger and not anger as in angry black woman but frustration, you know what I’m saying? What are we doing with our women? Why aren’t we upholding our women? What is going on in the world? When men aren’t protecting us anymore as if it’s out of style or did it get played out? What happened to where women are getting disrespected and we have to have a whole movement called #MeToo and #TimesUp with women marching and all kinds of foolishness. What’s happening to where we have to redo this? It’s like the feminist movement all over again, so the song is appropriate for the time.
TERRANCE: What can you tell us about your upcoming album Woman as far as collaborators and content?
SYLEENA JOHNSON: I’m working with a producer out in Chicago. “Toxic” is my producer and Audio One which is his production team and I’ve worked with them before on Chapter 4: Labor Pains and Chapter 5: Underrated. “Toxic” is my music husband. The chemistry between the two of us as far as music is concerned is undeniable. He gets me and he might be one of the very few people in the world that understands me musically and what I’m trying to say lyrically as well and so for me it’s not about, oh I need to go and get this producer and that producer. For me, it’s about working with talent and working with genius minds that understands the Syleena Johnson voice and vocal, that’s all I want to do. I just want creative people and people who want me to be creative and want me to be myself down to these records. I don’t think any of my music has not been me. I think that every album that I’ve ever put out has really been me at that time in my life, so I’m proud of everything I’ve put out and I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve put out any trash or anything I can look back on and be like, I don’t know who I was trying to impress that day. I don’t have any music like that. So that’s very good to be able to live with that, however; on this next project there is something that you might not have heard and it’s a piece of me that I couldn’t give before because I felt in the past that it may not have been received properly, but because we’re in such a time where you can be who you are, I just feel now is the time. One of the things I’ve always felt was like, I want to do songs that when I’m on stage, I’m in love with them just as much as the audience and so that’s been like my focal point coming from that context. I want to make records that when I sing them, I’m just as overwhelmed or getting just as much satisfaction as the people in the audience. That’s my ultimate goal.
TERRANCE: That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
SYLEENA JOHNSON: Yeah, but it’s not. You know, a lot of times we get caught up in what’s going to sell and we lose ourselves in that.
TERRANCE: I noticed you dropped Chapter off of this album title.
SYLEENA JOHNSON: I did. I let go of the Chapters because that book is done. That part of my life is done and everything that I’ve ever done has made me a better woman and it has accumulated to what you see in me as a woman. TERRANCE: What do you hope fans and listeners take away from the Woman experience?
SYLEENA JOHNSON: Like with all my other albums, I want it to be timeless. I want them to be able to listen from beginning to end. My focus is for it to be all of the different elements and emotions of a woman’s heart and mind and so it’s going to be great. It’s crazy because I didn’t even know we were going to be having such a bad time in America right now, so it’s like right on time, you know what I’m saying? So I can really just go in and turn up on the lyrics because they’re out here trippin’ when it comes to women. I want it to be something that can be played through all ages and stages of life.
TERRANCE: Besides the album, can we expect any shows or special events anywhere anytime soon?
SYLEENA JOHNSON: I’m getting ready to possibly bring out a skincare line with Kimo Bentley, so I’m just movin’ and groovin’ and when I tell you movin’ and groovin’, God is extra good right now. I’m just excited about my new album and everything that I’m doing to prepare for it, so it’s going to be a really, really great big Summer. I have some other things coming but I can’t speak on them at this time, but they are coming.
TERRANCE: I would assume one is the Clothing Partnership with NYC?
SYLEENA JOHNSON: Exactly. Oh my God. Okay, so I’m a brand ambassador with the Clothing Partnership with NYC, but we are in talks about increasing and expanding our partnership as well. Everyday women can really relate to those type of clothing because they are affordable, their beautiful, sturdy and not chimsey, slimsey and cheap and they are great quality clothes you can get at a decent price, so it’s clothing for the everyday woman and the working woman. They have joggers and a swimsuit line and I’m very, very proud of the company and the way that they have evolved with their clothes and the people that they have in their ads. You have the Kate Hudson line, Gabrielle Union line, and so I think it’s an excellent brand and I’m honored to have a partnership with them.
After recently wrapping up the "Keys and a Mic" acoustic tour, Grammy Award-winning Singer-songwriter and record producer PJ MORTON releases his spin on The Gap Band's 1981 classic "Yearning for Your Love", that's sure to get everyone in the cooking out spirit.
STREAM "YEARNING FOR YOUR LOVE" BELOW:
In other PJ Morton news, he will be performing at this year's 2019 Essence Festival in July and creating a live album from the event.
Grammy Award-winning Singer-songwriter and actress KELLY ROWLAND took to social media to announce her new EP The Kelly Rowland Edition in collaboration with producers Lord Quest and Twhy Xclusive on the 3-song set.
The Kelly Rowland Edition is Rowland's first offering of new music since the empowering female anthem "Crown" earlier in the year.
Grammy nominated Singer, songwriter, producer and pastor MONTELL JORDAN returns with his latest R&B song entitled, "When I'm Around You" which features Lecrae after a hiatus from the music industry to focus on ministry.
Jordan's last album Let It Rain was released in 2008.
