R&B group The Amours have just released their new EP “Changes” via November Yellow. The project was executively produced by Camper.
About the project, the duo composed of sisters Jakiya and Shaina share:
“We’re beyond excited to share this body of work with the masses. The process of formulating this project has been one of the best experiences of our lives. We were able to really dig deep and showcase a level of vulnerability we have yet to reveal to our fans. In the midst of this process, we’ve gone through a whirlwind of Changes. From the EP title, to the shift in songs, scratching everything and starting over. We’ve embraced every single Change we’ve had to endure. Most recently, at the conclusion of this process we lost one of our biggest fans and a piece of our heart, our grandfather Lee S. Berry. We dedicate this project to him, our hero. As we continue on, and embrace one of the hardest Changes we’ve ever had to deal with we know that he is smiling down on us, rooting for us to keep going.”
Included on “Changes” is the group’s latest single “Pick Me Up” featuring TA Thomas. You can check out the recently released video below. The theme of the project is a celebration of women from all walks of life. No matter the background, there is a common thread of searching for love throughout various chapters of one’s life–whether it’s self-love or romantic love.
To celebrate the upcoming EP release, The Amours are set to go on tour starting on June 8th in La Plata, Maryland.
Fans may remember that RaVaughn was originally signed to Ne-Yo’s Compound University label back around 2011. During that time, RaVaughn was working towards the release of her debut album “Love Always”, and released the singles “Better Be Good” featuring Wale and “Best Friend”. Unfortunately the project never saw the light of day and R&B fans never got an explanation on why it didn’t come out. Behind the scenes though, RaVaughn was taking her time to figure out the next steps for career. Along with releasing some independent singles throughout the last few years, she also been hitting the road with some of today’s biggest stars. She put her solo career on pause for a brief moment and started picking up gigs as a backup singer for the likes of Tori Kelly, Lizzo and most recently Justin Timberlake. YouKnowIGotSoul had a chance to talk to the talented singer about dealing with the label politics with being signed and her challenges after her debut album got shelved. We also talked about her new career ventures as a backup singer on tour and what that means for her career going forward as a solo artist.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We did our last interview together back in 2013. Your single “Better Be Good” had just came out and you were talking about your debut album “Love Always”. Obviously a lot has happened since our last conversation. Take us back to a young RaVaughn and being signed to a major label.
RaVaughn: It feels like it was ages ago. I feel like I was learning who I was not only as an artist, but as a young adult. I was living outside of home for the first time and it was an incredible experience. I got to work with Ne-Yo and just being around a bunch of men that were successful in the industry. I was getting to learn from a male’s perspective. It’s not an easy industry at all and I’m sure everyone knows that, but it was a great experience. My album actually never came out. My A&R Steve Ferrera, he got sick and passed away in the middle of us getting ready to put out the record. That wasn’t the reason that we didn’t put it out, but we didn’t get to put it out and I did have some really great songs on there that I still love and listen to now. That time was a whirlwind. Sometimes I don’t even remember half of the things that happened because there was so much going on and it happened so quickly. I started off doing demos, singing on Glee and doing backgrounds for so many other people. I met Ne-Yo while doing a demo for Loren Allred who used to be signed to him. Steve Ferrera heard my voice and was like “She needs to be signed too!”. It just happened out of nowhere. I wasn’t even looking to put out my own music at that point. I was making good money and still living at home at the time.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We always say that your era was the hardest time to be an R&B.
RaVaughn: You can put stuff on social media on your own now. It’s a lot easier. Sometimes when you’re working with labels, there are a lot of people that aren’t musicians so they don’t understand the artistry side of it. Of course it’s a business and that has to be taken care, but sometimes it’s a struggle. They would tell me to do something and it wasn’t something that I wanted to do. I’m an artist and I want to do what I want to do. For me, I make and sing music because I love it. It’s not about fame. People have always asked me “What happened? Why are you singing backgrounds?”. I was like “Do you have bills that you have to pay?”. That’s how I started so I’m still doing what I love to do and that’s what makes me happy.
YouKnowIGotSoul: During that period while you were signed in the 2010’s, it was almost uncool to be an R&B artist. How tough was it for you to stay true to yourself as an artist during that time?
RaVaughn: It was difficult and it sucked because I wasn’t even trying to push to be an artist and now here I am. I was like “Are you making it more difficult than it needs to be?”. I just wanted to put out music and that’s what Steve Ferrera wanted to do. He was like “Let’s not worry about what’s going to be played on the radio and the numbers that it’s getting”. He just wanted to make classic music and that’s what Adele was doing at the time. Her songs aren’t being played in the clubs, but she was super successful. That’s what he wanted to do with me in the R&B lane. At the time, it just wasn’t a cool thing to be an R&B artist and now you just think about Kenyon Dixon, who is a good friend of mine, he’s taking off. Now he’s just doing his own thing and I’m super excited for him. To see all the work he’s been doing and the successful that he’s having now, his voice is incredible and he’s awesome. He went through the same thing.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We featured your single “Best Friend” on Instagram recently and that song got so much love even though it wasn’t a huge hit at radio. Were you surprised by that?
RaVaughn: I was super shocked. It was really awesome to see. I called my best friend like “This got way more response than what I thought it was going to get”. That song didn’t do as well as “Better Be Good” because it was at the end of when I was ready to leave Columbia. I had a session with Babyface and we were working on a completely different song. My sister came to the session and she was friends with The Rascals. They wrote “Best Friend” and it was something my sister had experienced at that point in her life. What was crazy is that Compound didn’t really want me to put the song because they didn’t think it was it. My sister and I actually paid for the video and then we took it to the label and then they put it out.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What was the time period like for you after you left Columbia?
RaVaughn: It was devastating because it was a strong build and we had all this momentum. We finished a whole bunch of songs and we were trying to figure out what songs were going to go on the album. It was finished and it was mixed and mastered. Nothing was happening so I took a break from music. I had a lot of friends in the industry that were still being successful. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy for them, but I was like “Why isn’t my music connecting?”. I actually moved to Arizona and took a break for two years. I wasn’t doing any music and then a guy I was dating at the time, he slowly encouraged me to get back into it. I got called in by a really good friend of mine to do a couple of things for Tori Kelly and then he hit us like “Tori is ready to do a short tour and it’s her first time having singers, would you be interested?”. I went out to do that and at first, I had a conversation with Jade Novah because I was like “What are people going to think? I had a music out and now I’m singing backgrounds for someone else”. Jade was just like “Who cares what they think? Are you happy?”. That’s when I was like “I got bills to pay” and I’m getting paid to do what I love to do. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the front or not. Tori highlighted us singers on the tour as well so we got a lot of love. After that, I got called to audition for a Tyler Perry play. It was supposed to be his final stage play and we were out for five months and then we took a little break before going on a second leg. It was incredible to be on stage with him. Then the pandemic hit and it halted everything. I moved to Atlanta and I started writing with different producers. Then I got a call to go out with Lizzo and then things just started rolled right in after that. I was out with Lizzo for almost a year and I had an incredible experience being on that. I learned a lot from her and just being as positive as she is. Then I did a couple of things on The Voice and then Adam Blackstone called me and asked me to fill in for somebody to sing with Justin Timberlake. I was just filling in and then they asked if I would be available for six more shows. After that they asked if I would like to go on the tour and I was like “With Justin Timberlake? Absolutely”.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Are you working on new music?
RaVaughn: Lately I haven’t been focused on myself but I’ve gotten in the studio with Isael and Eric Dawkins. We wrote a couple of things. We haven’t put those songs out yet, but we wrote some stuff that I really love. Hopefully I’ll get to put that stuff out soon. I’m really excited about those songs and hopefully getting in soon. I know I’ll do a lot of stuff while I’m out on the road. I can write and record when we have days off. I don’t have a date of when I’m putting out new music. It might be next week! That’s the beauty of the industry now where you can just put some music out when you want to.
Emerging UK based soul sensation Cat Burns has just released her new single “end game”. The song is set to be included on her upcoming debut album “early twenties”, set to release on July 12th via Sony Music UK/RCA Records.
“end game” is an emotive guitar-led ballad in which Cat recalls her thoughts about a relationship that’s run its course.
“early twenties” is not just a debut album, it’s a mirror reflecting the complexities and emotions of this exciting era of adulthood. Filled with Cat’s honest and diaristic storytelling, her upcoming debut album is a warm and relatable listen for Gen Z or those nostalgic for their formative adult years.
Recently inducted into Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe list, Cat will embark on a UK and European Headline Tour in October to celebrate her highly-anticipated debut album release, with dates in Bristol, Cologne, Amsterdam, Manchester and London now sold out.
Veteran producer Camper has teamed up with Tank and Syd to collaborate on his latest single “I Need It”. The song is a sultry slow jam that mesmerizes listeners with Syd’s enchanting vocals and Tank’s velvety tone, creating a captivating blend from start to finish. Camper demonstrates his production prowess – skillfully marrying the voices of Syd and Tank with intricate vocal layering and texture, crafting a hook that lingers in the mind long after the music fades.
Over the course of his career, Camper has created hits for the likes of Brandy, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Jay-Z, and Ye. Camper has been Grammy-nominated over 20 times, clinching his first win for “Best R&B Album” with H.E.R. in 2018. Notably, he recieved a Grammy-nomination in 2023 for Coco Jones’s chart-topping song, “ICU.”
With an illustrious career marked by over 100 million records sold, Camper has become one of the most successful producers of his generation.
Most recently, Camper is responsible for producing Doja Cat’s “Acknowledge Me” alongside four songs on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s, Vultures, including “Talking” Ft. North West. He also produced Maeta’s Billboard topping single, “Through the Night.”
To coincide with the album announcement, he also announces his long-awaited and highly-anticipated “The Algorithm Tour”. The trek will kick off on July 11th in San Francisco, the tour will hit major cities across North America including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto and more. The tour will include support from opener Fana Hues.
Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming album.
“The Algorithm Tour” Routing
Thu Jul 11 2024|San Francisco, CA|The Warfield*
Sat Jul 13 2024|Portland, OR |Crystal Ballroom
Sun Jul 14 2024|Seattle, WA|Showbox Sodo*
Wed Jul 17 2024|Denver, CO|The Ogden Theatre*
Fri Jul 19 2024 |Minneapolis, MN|The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus
Sat Jul 20 2024|Milwaukee, WI |The Rave*
Sun Jul 21 2024|St. Louis, MO|The Pageant
Tue Jul 23 2024 |Nashville, TN|Ryman Auditorium*
Wed Jul 24 2024|Indianapolis, IN|Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
Fri Jul 26 2024|Chicago, IL|Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Sat Jul 27 2024|Detroit, MI|The Fillmore Detroit
Sun Jul 28 2024|Cincinnati, OH| Bogart’s
Tue Jul 30 2024|Cleveland, OH|Agora Theatre*
Wed Jul 31 2024|Toronto, Ontario|HISTORY
Fri Aug 02 2024|Pittsburgh, PA|Roxian Theatre
Sat Aug 03 2024|Washington, DC |The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Sun Aug 04 2024|Philadelphia, PA|The Fillmore Philadelphia
Tue Aug 06 2024| Boston, MA|Citizens House of Blues Boston
Wed Aug 07 2024|New York, NY|Radio City Music Hall
Fri Aug 09 2024| Norfolk, VA|The NorVa*
Sat Aug 10 2024 |Charlotte, NC|The Fillmore Charlotte
Sun Aug 11 2024|Raleigh, NC|The Ritz
Tue Aug 13 2024|Orlando, FL|House of Blues Orlando
Thu Aug 15 2024|Birmingham, AL|Iron City
Fri Aug 16 2024|Atlanta, GA|Tabernacle
Sat Aug 17 2024|New Orleans, LA |The Fillmore New Orleans
Tue Aug 20 2024|Austin, TX|ACL Live at The Moody Theater
Wed Aug 21 2024|Houston, TX|Bayou Music Center
Thu Aug 22 2024|Dallas, TX|South Side Ballroom
Sat Aug 24 2024|Phoenix, AZ|The Van Buren
Sun Aug 25 2024|San Diego, CA|SOMA
Tue Aug 27 2024|Anaheim, CA|House of Blues Anaheim
Wed Aug 28 2024|Los Angeles, CA|Greek Theatre*
*- Non-Live Nation produced show
R&B/Soul star PJ Morton has just officially announced his upcoming album “Cape Town To Cairo” which will release on June 14th via his own Morton Records / Empire.
The project is a collection of songs that he created in 30 days throughout 4 countries in Africa — South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt. Described as the best trip of his life, this transformative journey began as just the seed of an idea last fall, but instantly grew into his most sonically-sprawling and immediately-inspired record to date. With no music, lyrics or preconceptions, he stepped foot onto the continent with two thoughts: a wild dream to write and record his next LP in less than a month, and a mission to immerse himself in as many different cultures, stories and communities as he could.
Surrounded by featured collaborators like Fireboy DML, Mádé Kuti, Asa, Ndabo Zulu, and Soweto Spiritual Singers, as well as additional producers including P.Priime and The Cavemen., his own live band and local musicians, PJ Morton used music as his common language. Always his greatest way of communicating, he expressed his feelings and experiences of Africa through songs he and others were forming together on the spot, side-by-side in different studios, cities and towns for the very first time. None of the tracks were written before he arrived or after he left, and the arrangements showcase both the countries’ native genres as well as the innate, stylistic instincts that have made Morton a dynamic artist.
Also out today is “Simunye (We Are One)” feat. Soweto Spiritual Singers, in honor of South Africa’s 30th Year of Freedom Day. Morton adds:
“When you’ve been in music as long as I have, you’re constantly looking for inspiration. And you’re looking for the things that made you want to do it in the first place. I’ve made albums every type of way you can think, so I wanted to try something I hadn’t done before. As a Black American who had never been to South or West Africa, I knew there was something there waiting for me. So I put a little pressure on myself to make a full record in a month, but I also said, ‘If I’m gonna go to Africa, I want to see Africa.’ We made music, but we also formed connections. We made new friends, and this is just the start.”
Morton also announces the extensive Cape Town to Cairo Tour for North America this summer and fall. The tour will run of more than 25 dates across the country, including New York City’s Beacon Theatre, Chicago’s Chicago Theatre, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Los Angeles’ The Wiltern, and dozens of others.
PJ Morton will also publish a life-spanning new book titled Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. Arriving November 12th via Worthy Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, the memoir sees him recounting and reflecting upon a trailblazing path that continues to defy expectations and straddle the tensions of music and faith, race and culture, expression and identity.
Forth Worth, Texas bred R&B/Soul sensation Susan Carol has just unveiled her latest single called “Karma”. This is officially her first single via Def Jam Recordings where she’s just signed.
Bold bells chime, glossy guitar echoes, and strings swoon across the track’s dreamy soundscape. She proceeds to give an ex hell with her heavenly high register, over the lyrics of the track.
Coming up next, Susan will embark on a North American headlining tour which will kick off on April 30 in Philadelphia, PA at City Winery. Check out the full itinerary below.
Usher has publicly repped Atlanta for the majority of his career but his musical beginnings started in his early childhood hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. On April 20, 2024 The City of Chattanooga honored Usher with not only a key to the city but also dubbing 4/20 official Usher Raymond IV Day.
You Know I Got Soul had the honor of attending the ceremony that took place at Mckenzie Arena where fans and schools came to see the superstar receive his honors. Various schools and performing arts centers were in attendance including CCA, a performing arts center that is close Usher’s heart. CCA performed a routine featuring a number of songs from Usher’s catalogue.
Upon taking the stage, Usher took his time to thank the city and give credit to the many people who have helped shape his character and his career. His family was also in attendance, including his wife Jenn and their children, his mother Jonetta Patton, and his brother James (J.Lack) Lackey.
The mayor of Chattanooga honored Usher with his key to the city and a local Chattanooga committee honored Usher with their first ever Icon award.
It’s no doubt, after a 30-year career that includes multiple GRAMMY, Billboard, NCAA Image awards and more, that Usher deserves all of the honors that he has received and continues to receive. This is Usher’s 3rd key to a city following Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Emerging R&B singer/songwriter RealestK has just released his brand new single “Let Me Go”.
On the song, RealestK’s silky vocals melt into the laidback beat. Skittering cymbals brush up against soft piano, conjuring a natural sense of tension. At the same time, he gets confessional. Recognizing his own toxicity, he admits to infidelity, “I know you tried, I know I lied, I know you left for a reason, but baby I know I was the one that was tweaking.” It transforms into a plea for a second chance as his high register echoes.
Earlier this year, he garnered a JUNO Awards nomination in the category “Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year” for his Real World EP. He was also nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2023 Juno Awards and joined NAV on his NEVER:SLEEP 23-city US & Canada Tour directly supporting alongside rapper SoFaygo.
Stay tuned for more music from RealestK coming soon.
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