Black artists have shaped every genre of music as we know it, all while continuing to push culture forward in ways that deserve to be recognized, celebrated, and amplified. 🔊🔥
In celebration of Black History Month, we’re spotlighting a group of artists whose work reflects the depth, creativity, and influence of the Black music community today. Each one brings their own story, sound, and perspective to the industry, from genre-bending R&B and soulful alternative sounds to global rhythms, powerful lyricism, experimental production, and more. Together, they represent a wide range of artistry rooted in innovation, resilience, and cultural impact, not only this month, but all year round.
Check them out, stream their tracks, and show some love below…
Celebrating Black Excellence in Music: Artists You Need To Know
Haley Smalls
Haley Smalls brings a precise, polished voice to contemporary R&B, pairing classical vocal training with the mood, rhythm, and confidence of hip-hop-influenced production. Based in Toronto, she has developed a sound that feels both nostalgic and current, balancing smooth melodies, sharp songwriting, and a clear ear for mainstream appeal.
Her long-running creative partnership with producer Megaman has helped shape a catalog built on atmosphere, emotion, and consistency, with The Cure III alone surpassing 130 million streams. With newer releases like The Cure IV and “Matches,” Smalls continues to expand her lane as an artist, songwriter, and sound engineer with a strong sense of control over her sound. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Rodell Duff
Rodell Duff brings a natural warmth to modern country, blending rootsy storytelling, country-rock grit, and a voice shaped by real connection. Born in Trinidad & Tobago and raised in the Houston area, Duff has built his audience by sharing songs that feel honest, personal, and easy to live with. His breakout track “Good Days” has surpassed 8 million streams on Spotify, helping land him on the cover of Amazon Music’s Love & Country playlist and introducing his sound to listeners far beyond Texas.
Pulling from the soulfulness of Chris Stapleton, the smooth warmth of Brett Eldredge, and the rock edge of bands like Nickelback and 3 Doors Down, Duff creates music that feels grounded, melodic, and built around stories people can see themselves in. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Scattrbrain
Scattrbrain is the alt-rock and art-punk project of Atlanta-based artist GRIP, expanding his sharp storytelling and emotional intensity into a louder, more guitar-driven world. After making his name as one of Atlanta’s most introspective voices in hip-hop, GRIP uses Scattrbrain to push into post-punk, grunge, hardcore, and DIY rock with a full-band sound built around catharsis and release.
Tracks like “Melancholy Melodies” and “Bombs Away” show a different side of his writing, trading traditional rap frameworks for raw vocals, heavy guitars, and restless live-band energy. Rooted in Atlanta but reaching beyond genre lines, Scattrbrain marks a bold new chapter for an artist still committed to honesty, tension, and emotional release. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Glenn Lewis
Glenn Lewis has long been celebrated for R&B that puts feeling, phrasing, and storytelling at the center. A Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter with deep roots in neo-soul, Lewis broke through with his debut album, World Outside My Window, which featured the standout single “Don’t You Forget It” and earned major recognition, including a Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul Recording. Over the years, his voice has connected him with collaborators including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Babyface, Alicia Keys, Tyrese, Marsha Ambrosius, Mýa, James Fauntleroy, Snoop Dogg, and Amel Larrieux, whose duet with Lewis, “Where Is the Love,” earned a Grammy nomination on Stanley Clarke’s album.
Known for his warm tone, emotional delivery, and commanding live performances, Lewis has also shared the stage with legends like Stevie Wonder and Prince. Today, he continues to carry classic soul forward with music that feels reflective, timeless, and deeply human. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Justin Garner
Justin Garner brings a polished, soul-rooted voice to contemporary R&B, shaped by his beginnings in the Baptist church and a career built through consistency, independence, and undeniable vocal control. Raised in Plaquemine, Louisiana, Garner first gained international attention through YouTube covers and original music before reaching #1 on the iTunes R&B/Soul chart and becoming the inaugural winner of an MTV singing competition.
Since then, his music has appeared on shows including NBC’s Grand Crew, MTV’s Teen Mom OG, and Paramount+’s The Game, while his self-released projects have landed on playlists like Spotify’s New Music Friday and Apple Music’s New in R&B. From performing the National Anthem for major sports teams to taking the stage at ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Garner continues to build a global R&B career rooted in soul, discipline, and connection. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Lathan Warlick
Lathan Warlick turns lived experience into music rooted in honesty, faith, and transformation. Raised in Jackson, Tennessee, he first made his mark as a hip-hop dancer before a life-altering tragedy pushed him toward songwriting as a way to process his story and reach others. His music blends rap, testimony, and purpose-driven lyricism, delivering messages of resilience with the urgency of someone who knows what it means to choose a different path.
With coverage from Rapzilla and Zevo TV, radio support, and collaborations or connections across music and entertainment, including Chris Brown, Trina, D.L. Hughley, and the late Jason David Frank, Warlick continues to build a career centered on hope, growth, and second chances. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Rene Bonét
Rene Bonét brings the warmth of classic R&B into a modern space, pairing sultry vocals with laid-back production that nods to the golden era of the 1990s and early 2000s. Born in Leesburg, Virginia, she eventually made the move to Atlanta to pursue a stronger creative scene, releasing her first proper single, “Energy,” in 2019 before building a close working relationship with producer Weku Did That.
Her acoustic cover of Blackstreet’s “Before I Let You Go” earned praise from Teddy Riley, while her 2023 single “Nights Like This” received three Grammy considerations. With her 2024 debut album, Voice Memos, released through SRG/ILS, a Virgin Music subsidiary, Bonét continues to shape a sound rooted in nostalgia, vulnerability, and smooth, understated soul. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Flintz
Hailing from South London, Flintz is a rising force in the UK music scene, known for his razor-sharp lyricism, raw emotion, and electrifying stage presence. Of Guyanese descent, the British-born rapper blends elements of R&B, hip-hop, grime, and trap into a sound that’s uniquely his own, a fusion that’s earning him a fast-growing and loyal fanbase.
Flintz has already left his mark on some of the most iconic stages in music, with standout performances at The Great Escape, SXSW, Glastonbury, and Wireless. His live shows are a testament to his talent and hunger, commanding crowds with a presence far beyond his years, including selling out his own headline show, proving his growing pull as a live artist. Since breaking onto the scene, he’s completed the prestigious MOBO Unsung programme, supported heavyweights like Kojey Radical, Donae’O, and AJ, and gained recognition from legends like D Double E. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Dre Island
Revival, Resurgence and Revitalization, all depictions used of late to describe reggae music and the new wave of consciousness-raising, spiritually awakened artists evoking a golden era when Bob Marley sang of oppression. Undoubtedly one of the more intelligent and exciting musicians to emerge out of Kingston, Jamaica, Dre Island exhibited a very strong interest in music at a young age. Nurtured and encouraged by his grandmother, Dre’s natural talents developed early with piano lessons; the latter honed Dre’s craft and musical ear.
Introduced thereafter to a recording studio, a young Dre observed the ins and outs of every facet, while he developed a knack for building beats and rhythms. His stage performance abilities were nurtured in church and refined with showcases and local concerts. His professional journey working as a producer in some of Jamaica’s top recording studios led Dre to successfully complete projects with both local and international artists. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Lauren Henderson
A master of world-building, of tension and release, Lauren Henderson transforms a song into a dreamlike incantation. The multilingual singer-songwriter has enchanted sold-out audiences in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Mexico, & South Africa. With bright, bold harmonies and ruminative syncopation, her repertoire features tender ballads, swinging arrangements, flamenco dance patterns, Afro-Latin influences, and heartfelt storytelling.
Recognized as a Jazz Artist Blending and Expanding The Sounds Of Latin America by the Recording Academy, her music is featured on GRAMMY.com. Two-time Cover of the Spotify Vocal Jazz Playlist, Lauren captivates a broad audience and is featured in Netflix series, films, and is the prominent voice of the Stuart Weitzman “How Lovely To Be A Woman” campaign featuring Issa Rae & Lucy Lui. The New York-based TIDAL Artist to Watch blends her roots in Panama, Montserrat, and the Caribbean, creating a seductive, sultry, and sophisticated sound. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
Dee Brown
Dee Brown brings a rich musical foundation and decades of experience to his work as a guitarist, performer, and recording artist. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with an impressive range of artists, including Al Jarreau, Gerald Albright, Bob Baldwin, Mindi Abair, Bob James, Brian Culbertson, Spyro Gyra, The Ohio Players, Najee, Jeffrey Osborne, Aretha Franklin, and Michael and BeBe Winans.
His sound blends smooth melodies, groove-driven rhythms, and high-energy musicianship into music that feels both uplifting and deeply personal. Rooted in a love for melody, harmony, and spiritual connection, Dee’s work reflects an artist who continues to move with purpose, passion, and a genuine devotion to the music. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
RYL0
RYLO is paving new ground: she is a walking supernova of forward-thinking pop ideas and, as one of the few black women in underground pop, a pioneer for what kind of artists can be the face of this space. The New Jersey-born, LA-based singer, songwriter and producer (and film school alum), molds her colorful, melodic pop songwriting and vocal delivery over a diverse set of electronic instrumentals – a sound that has landed her features in NYLON, Lyrical Lemonade, Paper, Line Of Best Fit, LA Weekly, and more, as well as playlist support on Spotify’s hyperpop, Fresh Finds, and New Music Friday playlists.
Her style and magnetic stage presence has also led to lineup inclusions alongside Alice Longyu Gao, Arca, Kero Kero Bonito, Jimmy Edgar, umru, Namasenda, opening slots for Sophie Cates and That Kid, and a set at the Boiler Room x Subculture event in Los Angeles. // 🔊 Discover more on Spotify…
