Neo-soul is in a real purple patch right now. It’s a sound that was first conceived in the mid- to late-’90s when R&B was fused with ’70s soul and the deeper end of the instrumental hip-hop spectrum. It’s a lyrically deep and self-conscious sound that, today, muses on anything from mental health to the black experience.
Early neo-soul masterpieces like D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and anything by Erykah Badu remain definitive. But the new generation of neo-soul stars are bringing plenty of fresh perspectives and new influences to the table.
Neo-soul is a scene that remains refreshingly dominated by women, and often women of colour. Historically, it has remained a comparatively fringe sound, with few artists crossing over to major chart success, meaning that the likes of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu remain criminally underrated in the wider scheme of things. With a wealth of younger stars coming through, though, that may one day change. Here are our most essential young names in the game.
Greentea Peng
Born in South East London before moving to Hastings, in the UK, Greentea Peng’s vibrant personal style – piercings, ethnic tattoos all over her body, lots of jewellery – is just as vibrant as her music. Her debut EP from 2018 found her singing about coming-of-age experiences, the break-up of toxic relationships, empowerment and more. Her voice is so beautifully smokey, aloof and of such buttery depths that it will melt your heart. Following the release of Hu Man earlier this year, Peng recently unleashed the dub slanted Revolution. There’s also an upcoming European tour, starting in Berlin, on 7th April 2021. UK tastemaker Gilles Peterson is a fan, with Peng picking up the Breakthrough Act at his Worldwide Awards 2020.
Dizzy Fae
At just 22 years old, Minneapolis-based Dizzy Fae is the youngest name on our list. Dizzy caused critics to sit up and take notice with her 2019 mixtape NO GMO, with its shimmering late night lullabies, pained deep house, bristling rap, hyper emotive pop and plenty in between. NO GMO revealed Dizzy’s widescreen musical playbook and her confidence to put them all together in one place. Latest track I’m Good sees the multi-experimentalist tackling the healing process. “I made this song to highlight the strength in knowing some things you go through will never be okay, but you are going to be okay,” says Dizzy. “Healing is a process that starts within, making sure your mind, body and spirit can thrive amidst the madness.”
IAMDDB
IAMDDB is at the centre of her own musical world, where trap, jazz, hip-hop, rap and soul all coalesce into something beautifully emotive and absorbing. The fearless 25-year-old hails from Manchester and put out her first track in 2016, the same day she quit university. Of Angolan descent, she has a smooth flow that is part rap, part singing, and brimming with all-out attitude. A demon in the live area, she’s put out a series of mixtapes that she dubs “urban jazz” and caters to balmy outdoor partying as well as more quiet moments of introspective home listening. IAMDDB has supported Lauryn Hill and US rap star Bryson Tiller. The world awaits her debut album. And there was
Jamila Woods
As ever larger sections of society become more enlightened on issues of race, gender inequality and equal rights, it’s important to have artists to represent those views on a wider plane.
And that’s just what Chicago’s Jamila Woods is doing with her music, especially on her last album, 2019’s LEGACY! LEGACY! It mixes serious political commentary with rich R&B past and present. Littered with acerbic wit, wordplay and personal introspection, it’s a thoughtful album that starts with the declaration that “I am not your typical girl”, and it doesn’t disappoint. Check out her latest track Sula.
