New R&B Drops Friday
New Music Friday brought fresh R&B projects including Ty Dolla $ign's "Girl Music Vol. 1," Alicia Creti's "MINDFIELDS," Karun's "Eternal," and Gio Genesis' "Loveless." Plus hot singles like Nia Smith & DESTIN CONRAD's "Tough" and Ayra Starr's "Where Do We Go."
Ty Dolla $ign's six-track EP, "Girl Music Vol. 1," was conceived during a dinner in New York City. The artist said the restaurant's DJ was "playing all the right music," which sparked the idea to create a project specifically for women. The result is a 17-minute project focused on live instrumentation and his core R&B sound. The project features collaborations that bridge different generations of R&B. It includes vocals from soul legend Ronald Isley on the opening track, R&B icon Brandy on the song "Intention," and contemporary Grammy-winning artist Leon Thomas on the lead single "Miss U 2." Ayra Starr's new single, "Where Do We Go," was produced by Grammy-winning hitmaker ILYA, known for his work on major global pop anthems. The track is described as a dark, "narcotic Afro-electronic brew" that explores the uncertainty of a romantic encounter. The single marks the Nigerian artist's first solo release of 2026 and follows a massive breakthrough year. In 2025, Ayra Starr surpassed 7 billion global streams, earned a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance, and won a BET Award for Best International Act. The duet "Tough" connects the UK and US R&B scenes, pairing Ivor Novello and MOBO-nominated British artist Nia Smith with Grammy-nominated American vocalist DESTIN CONRAD. The smooth track was crafted by a production team that includes Nolan Lambroza, Nate Cyphert, and Jake Fridkis. "MINDFIELDS" is the second EP from rising vocalist Alicia Creti. She describes the project as an exploration of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity as part of a journey toward self-acceptance. To support the release, Creti has scheduled intimate headline shows in Los Angeles and New York. Kenyan artist Karun's new project "Eternal" is a four-song collaborative EP with producer Bigfootinyourface. It follows her 2021 EP "Catch A Vibe" and includes a feature from Nana Atta on the track "Hold Me."
