And just like that, we’re back with part 2 of our Black Music Month series. Here are 5 more of our favorite Black Artists. You ready? Leggo.
BEN L'ONCLE SOUL
Let’s kick things off with Uncle Soulman himself, Ben L’Oncle Soul. He’s an R&B singer who covers the spectrum. Hailing from Tours, France, Ben’s earlier work is in French. Most of his style is playful R&B, which is evident in tracks like “Soulman”, “Petite Soeur”, The Jungle Book‘s “Entre Un Homme Comme Vous”, and “Elle Me Dit”. True to his name, Ben’s most recent album, Addicted To You, contains soulful slow jams like “Next to You” and “Addicted” that he sings in English. He takes Frank Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and makes it his own masterpiece. “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding, shows off Ben’s Bluesy side. Ben L’Oncle Soul gives a D’Angelo vibe in the acoustic “All My Life”. He takes us back to the 60’s with the Stevie Wonder-esque “Hallelujah!!! (J’ai Tant Besoin De Toi)”. Ben’s videos are just as spectacular as his music. His early videos transform us into the Depression era dustbowl of America in the 30’s. He shows us the evolution of R&B from the 50’s into the new millennium. Ben’s artistry is mesmerizing.
JENNAH BELL
Jennah Bell is the definition of Neo-Soul & Americana. If you don’t understand, listen to “Candied Daylight”, “Chapter 3: The Hatchet”, and “Love Is My Disease”. Get it? Good. Her debut album, Anchors & Elephants, is a masterful blend of indie folk, blues, jazz & R&B.
But if you really want to fall in love with her artistry, please, please, please hear “John Forbid” especially the acoustic live version. The way she sings the lyric “We were too young to live this old” is enough to bring someone void of emotions to tears. After listening to her music, you will be a fan for life.
DUA SALEH
Dua Saleh is a nonbinary artist and actor. Their lyrics are eloquent, which isn’t surprising. They’ve been poetry since they were a child. They grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota but were born in Sudan. Dua Saleh’s lyrical style is transformative.
To see Saleh’s lyrical prowess in action, you must listen to their EP, ROSETTA, which was named after Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a pioneering Black Artist who became known as the Godmother of Rock and Roll. A fitting tribute seeing as like Thorpe, Saleh isn’t afraid of violating religious taboos or religious dogma.
The opening track, “cat scratch”, really sets the tone for this EP. It’s bass heavy, with almost a dark, rock edge to it. Saleh’s voice effortlessly flows on the instrumental. The next track, “umbrellar”, continues that rock sound and takes you to another dimension. The song and video portray a relationship as an alien love affair.
Speaking of videos, if there’s one thing you need to do, it’s watch Saleh’s music video for their latest single, “signs”. Issa banger that, yet again, proves that no one is doin’ it like Dua.
SAINT BODHI
Saint Bodhi is a rap artist from South Central Los Angeles. Saint Bodhi takes all of her pain and reworks it into a lyrical wonderland. Her debut album, Mad World, (specifically songs like “Like That Bitch”, “Blessed”, “Gold Revolver” and the title track) cements Saint Bodhi’s standing as an extraordinary storyteller. If you haven’t heard of her, please watch the video “FlowerChild”. The music is superb but the video will transfix you. If these songs don’t turn you into an instant fan, I don’t know what to tell you, ’cause she’s that bitch.
SHAMIR
Shamir is a non-binary artist out of Las Vegas. Shamir’s pronouns are he/him and she/her. Shamir has a countertenor voice that is beautiful and controlled.
You might’ve heard his biggest hit “On The Regular”; however, you’re really missing out if you haven’t listened to his later work. Shamir’s music is described as alt-rock but it can run the gamut. “Pretty When I’m Sad” is Alt-Rock with a touch of Outkast. “On My Own” is Prince personified. His song “Running” takes you back to the New-Wave driven 80’s.
This year, he debuted a unisex street wear collection called Bipolar Butterfly in partnership with AI design studio Urbancoolab. Shamir states: “After my bipolar diagnosis my mother had called me ‘Butterfly’ for the first time. I still to this day have no idea why she started calling me that since my pet name up to that point was the more common ‘Pumpkin’. My mental health journey has been deeply filtered through the butterfly iconography, which has been a source of comfort and stability in this unique (but not broken) life I live. The designs from this collection are directly inspired by the navigation of my mental health journey while living in the concrete jungle of South Philadelphia. My goal with this collection is to further dismantle the stigma around mental illness, something I’ve dedicated my life and career to doing.” A portion of the proceeds will go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Whether it’s music or fashion, Shamir is leading the way in presenting his art in a truly undefinable way and we are here for it.