Written by: Michael Hamilton
@SirMikeH
For the last few years now, there has been growing debate among fans and critics alike that R&B is slowly, but surely, “dying.” Gone are the days where many soul singers simply make music that happens to crossover. Today, some of the genre’s biggest names have essentially begun to make music that fits mainstream criteria, but lacks the soul that initially garnered them success. Noticeably, within the last 4-5 years, there have been less and less newcomers entering the R&B game. However, there have been a select few who have made (or are starting to make) a solid impact on the genre, have a bright future ahead of them, and could ultimately revitalize R&B music.
5. Luke James
New Orleans-bred soul singer Luke James has yet to release his debut album, but is already
gaining a positive reputation among R&B fans. Previously signed to J Records as half of a
duo, James is now signed to Island Def Jam and prepping the release of his solo debut album.
Released in 2011, his single “I Want You” is still building a strong buzz for the young newcomer.
In 2012 alone, he has performed at the BET Honors (to which he received a standing ovation),
in front of an audience that included First Lady Michelle Obama; opened for 16x Grammy
Award-winner Beyoncé during a 4-night stint at the Revel in Atlantic City, and performed as
part of the 2012 Essence Music Festival. It’s safe to say that Luke James is well on his way to
becoming a favorite with listeners.
4. Elle Varner
Los Angeles native Elle Varner has steadily established a nice name for herself within the music
world. After signing to J Records, she soon gained attention as part of BET’s Music Matters
campaign and was a featured performer on the 2011 BET Awards. In August 2011, she released
her debut single, “Only Wanna Give It to You,” featuring rapper J. Cole. Shortly after, it was
announced that Arista, Jive, and Varner’s label, J Records, would all be disbanding—thus
shifting Varner and the majority of artists from those labels to RCA Records. Once the dust
settled, she dropped her mixtape, Conversational Lush, in January 2012; soon following its
release, Varner released her second single, “Refill,” which has garnered her major radio airplay
on urban formats and has already become a top 10 hit on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Singles
Chart. Her debut album, Perfectly Imperfect, is expected to hit stores on August 7, 2012.
3. Bruno Mars
Only one album deep and already Bruno Mars has begun to draw comparisons to legends
like James Brown, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson. In 2010, his debut album
Doo-Wops & Hooligans was released, revealing Mars’ eclectic fusion of reggae, pop, soul
and rock. He also lent his songwriting talents to hits like Flo Rida’s “Right Round,” Travie
McCoy’s “Billionaire,” and B.o.B.’s Grammy-nominated #1 smash “Nothin’ on You”—the latter
two on which he also lent his vocals. As part of a songwriting and production outfit known as
the Smeezingtons, he composed his debut album, as well as hit songs by K’Naan, Snoop Dogg,
Wiz Khalifa, and Cee-Lo’s Grammy-winning hit, “Fuck You.” Doo-Wops was nominated for
Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album in 2012, and in 2011, Mars walked away with the
Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his #1 single, “Just the Way You Are.”
2. Melanie Fiona
Canadian-born R&B songstress Melanie Fiona is undoubtedly one of the music industry’s
hottest young stars. In 2009, she released her debut album, The Bridge, but it was the album’s
second single, “It Kills Me,” that caught the attention of listeners. The song became a smash at
urban radio, spending nine consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart
and landed Fiona a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Numerous
setbacks delayed the release of her second album, but Fiona took no breaks. She toured as
an opening act for 14x Grammy-winner Alicia Keys and collaborated on a remake of Harold
Melvin & the Blue Notes’ 1975 classic, “Wake Up Everybody,” with John Legend, the Roots
and Common; the single landed Fiona her second Grammy nomination. As fans anxiously
awaited the release of her second album, she collaborated Cee-Lo Green on “Fool for You,” a
song from his 2010 album, The Lady Killer, which initially featured Earth, Wind & Fire’s Philip
Bailey. Fiona’s version of the duet was released as a single in 2011 and caught fire at urban
AC radio—garnering her and Cee-Lo two Grammy nominations for Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance and Best R&B Song. In February 2012, they took home both awards, and hot on
the heels of her Grammy success, Fiona moved up the release of her sophomore album, The MF
Life, which was released on March 20, 2012.
1. Frank Ocean
Yet another New Orleans native, singer/songwriter Frank Ocean first attracted attention as
a member of alternative hip-hop collective, Odd Future. In 2011, he released his debut solo
mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra. to widespread critical acclaim and positive responses from music
fans; its two singles, “Novacane” and “Swim Good” helped to increase the singer’s profile.
Aside from being a solo artist, Ocean has also seen success as a songwriter, writing for the
likes of John Legend, Beyoncé, Brandy, and Justin Bieber. Seven months after his mixtape’s
release, he teamed up with hip-hop icons Jay-Z and Kanye West for their collaboration album,
Watch the Throne; he co-wrote and sang on two of the album’s tracks, “No Church in the
Wild” and “Made in America.” In the summer of 2012, Ocean revealed that he was bisexual,
becoming the first major R&B/hip-hop artist to announce openly that he had been in a same-
sex relationship. He just recently released his debut studio album, Channel Orange, on Def Jam
Records.
