Listen to new must-hear songs from emerging R&B/hip-hop artists like The BLK LT$ and María Isabel.
10/27/2025
Shenseea – BOSS UP
Courtesy
R&B’s banner year continues!
After scoring two of the genre’s buzziest current hits with “Mutt” and “Folded,” respectively, Leon Thomas and Kehlani both launched new EPs to maintain their momentum. While Thomas enlisted Issa Rae, Lovie Simone and 4Batz to build out PHOLKS, a funk-rock seven-song EP, Kehlani tapped six late ’90s and early ’00s R&B stars for her Folded Homage Pack EP. Brandy, Toni Braxton, Jojo, Ne-Yo, Mario and Tank each delivered their own spin on Kehlani’s smash, helping breathe new life into the Rhythmic Airplay chart-topper.
Elsewhere in the world of R&B, several artists dropped new albums, including Miguel (CAOS), Daniel Caesar (Son of Spergy) and Halle (Love?… Or Something Like It). Last week, the Little Mermaid star stopped by Billboard’s Takes Us Out series for a conversation about her debut solo album over a few vegan bites. On the rap side, we also got new albums from Dave (The Boy Who Played the Harp), Cupcakke (The Bakkery) and The Alchemist & Hit-Boy (Goldfish).
Of course, arguably the biggest hip-hop music moment of the week belonged to Megan Thee Stallion. On Friday (Oct. 24), the Houston rapper finally shared her long-teased, Total-sampling “Lover Girl,” which evolved from a beat produced by TikTok creator @jacobdior.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from an unofficial Chloe x Halle reunion to Shenseea’s catchy flip of a Blu Cantrell classic. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Halle feat. Chlöe, “So I Can Feel Again”
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}When Halle told Billboard that Beyoncé was “obsessed with hearing [her and Chlöe’s] voices [together] again,” she alluded to a sentiment many longtime fans are familiar with. And once the final note of “So I Can Feel Again” plays, it’s clear Queen Bey’s excitement at the prospect was for good reason. Built around moody 808s and a solemn melody that recalls a more downcast companion to 2018’s “Happy Without Me,” the sister duo unofficially reunite (they’re both credited under their solo monikers) to wax poetic about their shared fear of abandonment. “I know that I just wanna run away/ And I’ll be begging you to stay/ So I can feel again,” they harmonize on the final chorus, delivering the kind of moving, technically astounding vocal performances that they first captivated the world with nearly a decade ago. — KYLE DENIS
The BLK LT$ & RZA, “Thug Cry”
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}36 Chambers signee The BLK LT$ (The Black Lotus) delivered her Honey: The BLK LT$ Meets the Killa Beez project last week, and the rap-R&B hybrid teamed up with her mentor, RZA, for the pensive “Thug Cry.” The Toronto-born artist blends silky vocals with blistering rhymes on the track, which sets the backdrop for RZA to invade the stripped-down production, allowing him to reflect and lean into his vivid storytelling. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
A$AP Twelvyy, “The Bark”
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}Twelvyy continues to be one of the more consistent members of the A$AP Mob. Last week, he dropped off this smooth track over a soul sample courtesy of producer Zoomo just in time for cozy season. And he’s talking that fly s—t like hanging out with French models in Bordeaux to try to check out the Greenwich meridian. — A.D.
Shenseea, “Boss Up”
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}For her third solo single of 2025, Shenseea turns self-love into a movement with “Boss Up,” a fiery flip of Blu Cantrell’s classic “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!).” Co-written by Shenseea, Kaylan Arnold and co-producers Alex Goldblatt and Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, “Boss Up” pairs slick dancehall vocal inflections with Shenseea’s signature affirmations. “Don’t let him come back around/ Stack ya paper, get ya weight up/ Tell that n—a see ya later, boss up,” she proclaims at the end of the third verse. By the final verse, she flips every breakup cliché on its head, turning heartbreak into motivation. “Boss Up” isn’t just a track, it’s a reminder that peace and power look best when you choose yourself first. — C.C.
Tiana Major9 & Yebba, “Always”
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}Following the swaggering “Shook One,” Tiana Major9 returns with a new Yebba duet titled “Always.” Tailor-made for the fall time, the new single finds the two vocalists working through the conclusion of a relationship that, at one point, felt like it would last forever. “I wonder if we think the same way, always/ What if we had one more chance for the old days?/ You don’t want ’til you want what you got, then it’s gone/ I replay the ending in all ways, always,” Tiana belts in the final chorus, dialing up the drama in her vocal performance to match the song’s lyrical stakes. Serving as the latest taste from her forthcoming debut album, Novembr Scorpio, “Always” is another home run for Tiana Major9. — K.D.
Samara Cyn, “Vitamins N Minerals”
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}The overwhelming reception to an early version of “Vitamins N Minerals” inspired Samara Cyn to polish the track, throw a second verse on top of Ovrkast’s laid-back production, and upload it to streaming services last week. Cyn shows off her lyrical dexterity with ease, weaving in various vitamin-and-supplement references while getting candid about life. A lyrical exercise filled with hard-hitting bars and health tips, Cyn’s winning streak continues to close out 2025. — M.S.
María Isabel, “Bien Bien”
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}After a brief hiatus, María Isabel is back, and she’s singing in Spanish. The Queens native recently dropped two singles in “Sunset Tower” and this subtle banger about missing that special someone while also wanting to fill that void with a night of sinful partying. It’s all good if you don’t quite understand Spanish; you can still catch a vibe, and you can also include this in your curriculum as you study up for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance. María is gearing up to drop a tape next Spring or at least that’s the word in the street. Be sure to check out the rest of the Dominican singer’s catalog until then. I would start with 2021’s Stuck in the Sky and I Hope You’re Very Unhappy Without Me (those are mostly in English). — ANGEL DIAZ
Queen Naija & Mariah the Scientist, “My Man…”
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}Queen Naija ushers in a new era with her 30 EP, her first under Motown Records, and the Mariah the Scientist-assisted “My Man” is one of its standout moments. A sleek, self-assured anthem celebrating love and loyalty, the Camper-produced track finds Queen blending velvety vocals and lush production into a celebration of devotion without submission. She opens with her classic ride-or-die energy, while Mariah adds a dreamy counterpoint, admitting she’s unexpectedly caught up. Together, they craft a record that’s equal parts romantic and empowered, the sound of two women claiming love on their own terms. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
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