Music
Jhene Aiko, Kehlani, Summer Walker, And Teyana Taylor Agree That Most Pop Is Just R&B
Getty Image A new virtual roundtable takes on the state of R&B as a genre and the music industry’s various shortcomings. …
2020 has seen many American institutions coming to grips with a number of long-standing traditions with racist roots and determining ways to move forward. Earlier this year, The Grammy Awards and Republic Records both took steps to remove references to “urban” as a placeholder for typically Black-dominated genres of music in response to comments from Billie Eilish, Tyler The Creator, and others.
Now, a group of stars who’ve been leading the way in the recent resurgence of R&B are also pointing out some of the more racially-motivated discrepancies in how the recording industry classifies music. In this month’s Billboard feature, Jhene Aiko, Kehlani, Summer Walker, and Teyana Taylor participated in a virtual roundtable discussion about the state of R&B, talking about its reemergence as a pop-culture force, and how it differs from genres like rap and pop.
During the discussion, Jhene points out exactly the problem with how R&B is treated within the business. “There are different sounds within R&B that I’m seeing reflected in other genres,” she notes. “We’re seeing more rappers singing, being more melodic, doing more love and sexy songs. You probably wouldn’t have heard that from a straight-up rapper back in the day. And now there are traditionally pop artists doing R&B albums, but it’s called pop… I’m like, ‘This is a very ’90s R&B sound, but it’s considered pop.’”
Taylor wonders, “If an actual R&B singer sang what the pop artist sang, would the R&B singer get the same exposure?” while Walker agrees, “Pop gets all the credit, for sure. We’re cute over here when they want to be in their feelings. But when it’s time to get to the money, it’s all about pop.” Teyana clarifies, “We’re not a bunch of bitter, angry R&B chicks complaining either. We want to be honest without coming off feeling a type of way.” Walker feels the double standard “irritates me a little when it comes to radio. It seems the only songs from me that do super good on the radio are those that are more upbeat.”
The discussion also turns to industry colorism, outlets trying to sexualize them at a young age, and the scrutiny that comes with social media. Read the full feature here.
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Boostani creates a mesmerizing tidal realm in “Ocean”
Lisa Boostani’s “Ocean” takes you deep into a sensory world where body, spirit, and myth come together, beyond the surface of genre. Boostani makes a soundscape that is both ethereal and deeply human by combining the broad essence of psychedelic pop with the strong appeal of alternative rock.
Her voice rises as if it is coming from deep within her, shaped by emotion rather than action. She intentionally channels the intangible, turning weakness into strength rather than a source of pain, and “Ocean” tells people to get involved in this inner world, not just watch it. This release is an integral part of her first EP, “One,” which will come out in March 2026 and is based on love, sensuality, and unity.
If “Ocean” is any indication, the EP will show sensuality not as something pretty, but as a kind of spiritual intelligence, a way to know yourself by connecting with others. The song’s textures and structure have an aquatic quality, moving between clarity and delirium, rhythm and freedom. Its emotional focus is on immersion instead of resolution.
The striking quality of “Ocean” is the blend of the mystical worlds. Boostani understands that strength often shows up as gentleness and that deep feelings are better expressed through frequencies than words. She wants people to see consciousness as immediacy, sensation as truth, and openness as an undeniable strength.
Artist Spotlight
NOAH. captures the unspoken signals in enchanting R&B track “That’s Bless”
“That’s Bless” captures the unspoken late-night message, the smile that was exchanged from afar, and the feeling you sense but are afraid to say. NOAH. offers a song with a smoky R&B feel and lyrics that capture unspoken tension, firmly in the realm of emotional ambiguity, where connection is clear but not defined.
This piece concerns the subtle discomfort of mixed signals and quiet longings, when looks say more than words ever could. NOAH. handles the theme with restraint, letting the chemistry simmer rather than explode. NOAH.’s delivery shows a confident gentleness, recognizing that some feelings don’t need strict definitions to be real.
In “That’s Bless,” he captures the essence of connection and the compelling allure that endures, even when both parties pretend it is not there. The composition is based on real-life events, and it acknowledges that specific attachments endure in the heart long after one has persuaded oneself of having progressed.
“That’s Bless” is at the crossroads of closeness and distance, clarity and confusion. The song doesn’t resolve the tension it talks about, and that’s what makes it so powerful. It sums up the connection we say we don’t want but keep coming back to in memory, rhythm, and pulse.
Connect with NOAH. on Instagram
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