You may not know Sam Smith just yet, but chances are you’ve heard his second single, “Stay with Me” (remixed here with Mary J. Blige) on your local R&B station and wondered, “Who is that?!” With his commanding range and signature falsetto, the 22-year-old singer seems to poised to become heir apparent to Amy Winehouse’s blue-eyed British soul.
A relative newbie, this British soul singer already has our hearts, thanks to his duet with Marsha Ambrosius and subsequent album. Even Maxwell is a fan. Don’t believe us? Wath his recent performance at the Essence Festival.
Raised in the Baptist church in Tennessee, JT is a certified soul man whose music has earned him tremendous love in the Black community (except that Janet Jackson incident, but we’ll leave that alone). At the end of the day, this Southern boy’s got talent.
This British powerhouse’s brand of soul music is edgy, emotional and powerful. Watch this performance shot at ESSENCE and you’ll see why she’s certified soul.
Remember the first time you heard Robin Thicke’s ‘Lost Without You,’ and said no way is that man not Black? Well, Mayer Hawthorne gets the same reaction. With vocals to make you swoon, he has an unbelievably soulful sound that comes from his gut and isn’t contrived. Raised in Michigan, Andrew Mayer Cohen grew up listening to soul music of Detroit. Check out his first single “Just Ain’t Work Out.”
The English pop-soul singer’s sensuous sound is inspired by the likes of Sade, J. Dilla and Whitney Houston. Her breakout single, “Wildest Moments,” has been applauded for it’s modern take on soul.
This elusive crooner is known for his minimalist brand of soul. His latest single “Etc” is perfect for a mellow summer soundtrack.
Nevermind his non-R&B star looks, just listen to Allen Stone sing this song from his momma’s living room (really) and become a believer.
This Aussie future soul band counts J.Dilla and D’Angelo among their influences and already boasts co-signs from the likes of Q-Tip and The Roots’ Questlove. Listen as Q-Tip makes a guest appearance on their single “Nakamarra.”
