Female British Artists reclaiming the R&B scene

There is a new wave of British R&B women and I believe this is cause for celebration. Women of colour have been at the forefront of its revival. R&B is back with a whole new sound. This new-found tone mixes with the old, with the addition of synths, lofi and trap beats.

The rebirth of the British has made way for talented musicians to make a name for themselves. This has also started a trend of reclaiming the beauty that is natural hair. 2017 is the year that the new wave began and in 2018, R&B and soul music was the second most listened to genre in the UK with 45.4% of people listening to it.

Artists like Ama Lou, Cleo Sol, Jaz Karis, IAMDDB, Jorja Smith, Mahalia and many more are trailblazers. They are making exciting new music that has brought back interest in the scene and the younger generation is reclaiming it for themselves.

A trend of natural hair has emerged from the rebirth of British R&B. Black artists are showing fans that black hair is beautiful and they should not be embarrassed. Natural hair was not widely accepted back in the 50s and 60s, where women of colour were expected to dress for a white male audience. Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown was inspired by the car industry and wanted to make music with a quick turnover. He made his acts digestible by having his female acts hair, like The Supremes, tamed into an ‘acceptable’ style. During the 70s, natural hair was part of the civil rights movement, but by the 80s, the phenomenon of natural hair disappeared again. By the new voices in R&B music wearing their hair naturally, they’re making a statement, it comes in different shapes, sizes, complexion, and hair textures.

Ama Lou is a new name in R&B, making waves in both the United Kingdom and the US. With her blend of R&B, soul, and trap, she entrances the listeners in her story telling, stories of heartbreak and London life. Lou has caught the attention of fellow R&B artist Jorja Smith, as well as an endorsement from Drake. Young artists like Lou are the future of the British R&B scene. She wears her hair naturally and did a photoshoot in a hair shop, by doing this she’s helping to take away the stigma behind natural hair.

An artist that has been at the forefront of British R&B is Jorja Smith. Smith has solidified herself as one of the top R&B artists in the UK. She won the best female solo artist Brit and was nominated for best new artist at the Grammys in 2019. Artists like Smith have been setting the new standard for the British. Smith is not afraid to wear her hair naturally and talk about it. Smith has spoken about Zendaya and how she is “Hollywood’s acceptable version of a black girl” and is not willing to change herself to fit into other people's ideas of beauty.

The British R&B scene is going through an exciting time. Female artists have more power than ever before and they are using it.