Jordin Sparks, Lynda Dawn, Fousheé, And More New R&B Music With No Restrictions

Mya Abraham

September 14, 2024 at 7:29 AM·9 min read

This week in R&B has us blushing and that’s not far-fetched because there are no restrictions in this round of drops.

From Jordin Sparks dropping her first album in nearly a decade to the alt-lovers being up by 100 with releases from Fousheé, Lynda Dawn, Brandon, Forest Claudette, Bathe, Karri, and Dua Saleh, there is something here for every type of R&B fan.

Just ask Ye Ali, who dropped his compilation debut with several R&B heavy-hitters including Tone Stith, JAHKOY, Eric Bellinger, and more.

Whether you want to gush about how in love you are, expose your inner monologue, or wither away at the 11th hour, follow the suit of these new selects and do it all without restrictions.

Jordin Sparks – No Restrictions

Jordin Sparks’ No Restrictions is her first album in nearly a decade. Her last album, Right Here Right Now, came when she was fresh out of two public relationships and ready to quit music altogether. Yet, after becoming a wife and mother, everything changed for the better.

“It really does feel like a resurgence to have this new music coming, but I feel like these songs really speak to where I am in my life right now, as well as represent the musicality that I am as an artist,” Sparks told PEOPLE. The LP features previously released single, “Remember” and vibrant, refreshing collabs with T-Pain, Stonebwoy and Shawn Stockman. It won’t be the last release from Sparks for another decade.

“There’s going to be a buffet of things. There’s other collaborations I’ve done on other albums, and the holiday season is coming up, so your girl always has to give some Christmas gifts. Hopefully more touring [and] I’m really excited,” she teased.

Lynda Dawn – “11th Hour”

Lynda Dawn prances between funk, soul, and jazz as evident with her new single, “11th Hour.”

The North West London singer-songwriter’s latest record is like an enchanting lullaby that dives into themes of “time, longing, nostalgia, and hope.” Dawn noted, “I wanted to capture the fragility of relationships and the pressure we often feel from society, all while being aware of time slipping away. Although it’s written as a love story, it’s really about those critical moments we all face in life. I hope the lyrics can encourage listeners to never give up on what they love and to seize the moment for a new dawn.”

This marks the second drop from her new eponymous EP, out on Oct. 4.

Fousheé – Pointy Heights

Fousheé’s long-awaited album, Pointy Heights, is here.

Unlike her prior release, softCORE, this album was shaped by her Jamaican roots and is a bold shift from who she was and where she is today. It shares its name with the land her grandfather purchased in Jamaica, with the intention that her whole family could build homes and live there. She used that trip home to craft an entirely new sound and push her artistry forward in previously untapped ways.

Dua Saleh – “p***y suicide”

Sudanese-American nonbinary artist Dua Saleh’s new single, “p***y suicide” is complex, contemplative, and overall spellbinding.

Stemming from their debut album, I SHOULD CALL THEM, Dua dissects toxic elements that may be occasionally adopted in romantic relationships.

“Sometimes people won’t admit that they’re toxic,” Dua noted in a statement. “This is a song about being with somebody who was previously toxic that makes you question their actions. When you stay with this person, you’re feeding the fire because you feel uncomfortable with the dynamics. I was trying to not pursue those feelings, but had difficulty moving on. Eventually, I learned to have more respect for myself.”

We’d say Dua fulfills whatever fantasy gets conjured up in an alt-R&B’s fan wet dream, and this is only a taste of what’s to come, considering their new album features Gallant, serpentwithfeet, Sid Sriram, and Ambré. It’s out on Oct. 11.

Ye Ali – THJ Radio Vol. 1

Ye Ali has released his long-awaited debut compilation album with many of R&B’s finest. From Tone Stith, Eric Bellinger, Zae France, and Byron Juane to Ant Clemons, B.K. Habermehl, Reggie Becton, and JAHKOY, the famed producer put his Traphouse Jodeci stamp on the map with this album.

It’s sexy, hypnotizing, sensual—basically, it’s exactly from you’d want from an R&B gumbo. One thing about Ye, he does this R&B thing very well and we can’t wait for the next installment.

Bathe – Inside Voice(s): Side A

Bathe is back! Composed of singer-songwriter Devin Hobdy and guitarist-producer Corey Smith-West, two of our favorite alt-R&B boys have released their new EP, Inside Voice(s): Side A. With their first full release since their 2021 debut album, Bicoastal, the new project is described as a “complex yet rewarding exploration of the dissonance that comes from being split between two places—where you are and where you want to be.”

“?Inside Voice(s): Side A? is for all the overthinkers,” said Hobdy and Smith-West in a statement. “Anyone who knows what it?s like to be lost in a daydream, wrestle with a loud inner monologue, or hear the whispers of the people you love from the depths of your mind.”

Brandon – Blush

We discovered Brandon by happenstance and instantly became obsessed. His new EP, Blush, is for those who love R&B you can just vibe to. Not many words are needed because the music truly does speak for itself.

“It feels like a dream to finally be here. I want to express how deeply thankful I am to everyone involved, and to everyone listening. As you listen tonight, I hope you all feel the life and the weight that I’ve beared in creating and molding these four songs. I hope you love them as much as I do,” Brandon shared of the new project. It comes ahead of his debut album, set for a 2025 release.

His label, Secretly Canadian, stated that Blush is “in some ways a prologue to the deeper memoir that will be Brandon’s forthcoming debut album, due in 2025. This EP is a snapshot of the current moment before his bigger, life-spanning tome, a nighttime whisper before a bright, airy dawn. By bringing us to the current moment first, Brandon shows us who he is: content and confident in his present, inviting us in with beauty, generosity, and a taste of what’s to come.”

Bryant Barnes feat. d4vd – “I’d Rather Pretend”

Bryant Barnes’ “I’d Rather Pretend” was solid on its own, but somehow became better with the new addition of d4vd. It’s sultry and emotive as the men wrestle over mixed feelings in their respective relationships.

“I want to love you but I’m scared, so I’d rather pretend,” Bryant sings. Of the new duet though, he shared, “I’ve been wanting to work with d4vd for a while, even when he first began music because
growing up he lived like 10 minutes away from me in my hometown. So it really just made a lot of
sense to collaborate and I’m glad that we’re able to get on ‘I’d Rather Pretend’ together.”

d4vd added, “I loved working with Bryant. This was a collab for the fans. Our fans were both spamming us to work with each other, so we knew we had to get it done. Hopefully, we do some more together in the future, too.”

Leon Thomas feat. Ty Dolla $ign – “FAR FETCHED”

Leon Thomas has dropped the newest single from his upcoming album, MUTT.

“Far Fetched” features Ty Dolla $ign and spotlights the frustration felt from a one-sided relationship, where the hope for a more conjoined future seems more like a fleeting fantasy.

In the Phil Meyer-directed visual, Thomas puts the internal conflict on full display as he toys between desiring personal freedom and yearning for love. MUTT is out on Sept. 27.

Forest Claudette – Jupiter & Stone Between

Forest Claudette’s new EP is an impassioned journey of self-discovery.

The project is split into two parts: Jupiter, which “represents a safe haven for all non-binary individuals—a home where you can always belong,” and & Stone Between, which Claudette noted, “reflects the complexities of life, reminding us that even as we discover who we are, life continues in all its forms.”

It’s mesmerizing, vulnerable, and most of all, honest.

George Brown – Where I’m Coming From

To honor the legacy of Kool & The Gang co-founder, George Brown, his estate has released his posthumous solo album, Where I’m Coming From. The 16-track LP is an intimate, immortalized look into the late crooner’s life as he details stories of love, triumphs, and personal struggles.

In the album’s forward, Brown’s son, Jorge explained, “Dad always said, ‘Good songs tell a story.’ Heartache, pain, loss, joy, excitement, happiness—Dad experienced it all, which meant he had stories, many stories, to tell. We hope that, as you listen, you’ll understand that our Dad was more than just a musician or celebrity. He was a husband, father, son, brother, father-in-law, friend, student, and mentor. His perspectives on the world were hard-won and well-earned, and he believed in fixing what’s been broken for so long.”

This comes ahead of Kool & The Gang’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Karri – “Oakland Pt. 2”

Karri’s “Oakland Pt. 2” will have us in a chokehold for the foreseeable future.

As the budding star reflects on a former love whom he deeply misses, it reminds listeners that real yearners are still present. “You move from Brooklyn back to Oakland cause you know that / You missed everything about this side / You can’t stay away from Oakland and you know that shit / You missed everything about this side / Truth be told you probably rather be in Oakland,” he sings.

This release arrives after his viral hit, “Impromptu,” took over TikTok back in May.

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