Malachi’s Rotation: Unstoppable Female Artists
For this month's rotation, I’ll honor women in genres like contemporary R&B, neo-soul, ap, and more! So instead of the typical one artist for each of the five categories, you will find two. This one should serve as a road map for quite the acoustic adventure.
NEW TO THE BLOCK
This category is reserved for the newcomers, the fearless, wide-eyed creatives who are new to the scene with intentions of staying for good. To withstand the current, these artists must display an unyielding passion and an indisputable drive for their craft that even the most esteemed artists in the game reminisce about.
Pure by Ania Hoo
Ania Hoo’s Pure draws its inspiration from the disco and funk jams of the 70s, and the hints of soul in her voice put me in a trance. I’ve heard her voice in person at FOCUS Magazine’s Visionary Release Party, and I haven’t been able to resist the beautiful sounds exhibited on her EP, Pure. My favorite track is In Love, produced by Kofi Bae. It makes me feel like I’m dancing in a dimlylit, smoke-filled room without a care for who could see me. Another one of my favorites is Come My Way, produced by Ivan Reza. Ania’s mellow melodies are matched by the richness of the bass that strums in the background and makes for a gratifying experience. This EP is about 14 minutes in length in just 5 tracks: worth listening to over and over again.
HERA by Khmeii
Brooklyn artist Khmeii carries a voice that is both soothing to the ear and pleasant upon the heart, making her 5-track EP, HERA, very fun to listen to. When she’s rapping, her presence is unstoppable. From the very first track, Complicated, produced by Jaydot, I was taken aback by her voice and set in a trance by her songwriting and slow-paced R&B melodies that remind me of the songs playing from the stereo player in my grandmother's house. On the other hand, a song like a while produced by RARREBEAR, makes me imagine a sky riddled with light-gray clouds, just moments before a storm as she contemplates a lover who, despite being no good for her, haunts her every thought. Khmeii is authentic R&B and someone I’ll check for moving forward; it’d be in your best interest if you did the same.
CALORIE BURNER
This category is for those songs that have you looking crazy when listening to them. To put it in layman's terms, if you can’t sit still while listening to the track, it may just belong here.
a liquid breakfast by AUDREY NUNA
AUDREY NUNA’s a liquid breakfast is the first album released by the New Jersey artist and perfectly represents the diverse music that spills out from her. NUNA is the textbook definition of the modern-day hip-hop artist, exploring genres like rap, r&b, pop, and neo-soul in this 10-track, 26-minute-long project. This album dropped in 2021 with a deluxe being dropped the following year. I haven’t gotten to the deluxe yet, but feel free to listen to the additional 7 tracks and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. As for my favorite tracks from the album, I recommend you listen to: Baby Blues, produced by Anwar Sawyer and Ethan Johnson, Get Luv, produced by Aire Atlantica and Jacob Reske, and Space, produced by Anwar Sawyer and prodbyzeph. Each of these tracks showcase NUNA’s artistic range and serve a perfect sampler for the talent that is AUDREY NUNA.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Doechii
I discovered Doechii on Isaiah Rashad’s Wat U Sed (from his 2021 album, The House is Burning), produced by Amaire Johnson and Rory Behr, and I remember thinking, “Yooo, who is this? She’s dumb nice.” This would not be the last time I was amazed by the creative juggernaut that is Doechii. The Floridian rapper caught my ear again on Smino’s Pro Freak (from LUV 4 RENT), where from start to finish, she tranquilizes the listener with the richness of her flow, wordplay, and tranquilizing voice. As the first woman rapper signed to TDE, Doechii has produced two complete bodies of work and an impressive list of singles and features. Her 2020 album, Oh The Places You’ll Go, is as impressive as it is invigorating, and trust me, it’ll light your fire. Some of my favorite tracks are Black Girl Memoir, produced by Louin Haze, specifically the bottom third of the song, where the song seemingly shifts into the 5th gear. Two others are Drop Out, produced by Shorne 2SC Callahan, Clifford Brown Ⅲ, and Something Real, produced by Shorne 2SC Callahan, two tracks where Doechii can be heard showing the extent of her abilities as she raps and sings with flair.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
This category is for conceptual bodies of work–EP’s, mixtapes, videos, and albums–that exude a level of exceptionalism seldom seen in today's market. Thought-provoking music that focuses as much on the spoken word aspect of their art as on production is essential for a well-rounded music diet and the sharpening of the mind.
Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe by Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales originally dropped in 2021 as an album thatencapsulates emotions one must experience to truly know, though her songwriting, matched with her captivating voice, brings even the most inexperienced listener to understand. This album, which explores sexuality, feminism, insecurity, and infidelity, amongst others, contains tracks that are tailored-made, targeting these intense emotions. Preceding each track is a tale that speaks directly on the theme of the proceeding song. Selfish produced by NOVA Wav, is a song where the speaker calls out their lover for their inability to make the very sacrifices that could save the relationship. It comes after Shanti’s Tale, a story of a woman in a one-sided relationship with a lover who wasn’t as serious as she. Another is Hurt Me So Good produced by DZL, Akeel Henry and Luca Mauti, which comes after Jazzy’s Tale, where Sullivan shares how her insecurities placed her in a position where she desperately searched for the love she desired, and was taken advantage of in the process. This is definitely an album worth checking out if you haven’t already.
Telefone by Noname
There aren’t many artists who can speak as candidly and as beautifully as Chicago's very own, Noname. Despite sporadically (or maybe never) dropping music (again), Noname has remained a household name for rap fans in dire search of substance. Her vivid imagery, coupled with her intense realism, allows each track to serve as a canvas with her words painting a beautifully-chilling portrait of Black life in the South side of Chicago. She is a poet and an activist whose craft is sought out by many in a field full of TikTok jingles and microwave hits. One of my favorite songs is the somber Casket Pretty, produced by Michael Neil and Tahj Malik Chandler, which displays the agony felt by those who lose their brothers, sons, and fathers at the hands of police officers, knowing that justice will likely never be had. Another is the head-knocking Shadow Man (feat. Smino, Phoelix and Saba) produced by Cameron Osteen and Michael Neil, where all three members of Ghetto Sage link up to deliver a soul-filled, gospel-inspired track that reaches into the depths of my soul with each and every play. Lastly, is Freedom Interlude produced by Lon Renzell, Michael Neil and Tahj Malik Chandler. On this song, Noname raps over pulsating drum-hits and a soothing piano melody about the freedom that is offered to her when she is on stage, giving air to her thoughts, beliefs and troubles.
ON REPEAT
This category is for artists whose body of work is truly addicting. These are artists who always seem to hit the mark, who frequent our playlists.
Shea Butter Baby by Ari Lennox
Ari Lennox’s debut album, Shea Butter Baby, was released in 2019 with Dreamville Records and has frequented my Spotify playlists since. Ari Lennox’s voice is quite literally tethered to the souls of Black folk. She possesses a commanding voice, drawing inspiration from legends like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and uses it to create funky, soulful records. She’s like a modern version of the soul-wrenching and groove-inducing jams I listened to on those 4-hour shopping runs with my grandmother when I was growing up. My personal favorite from this project is one where Ari’s voice and lyricism rise to the surface, Whipped Cream produced by Elite and Ronald Gilmore, a song about an unrequited lover struggling to get over someone who haunts their mind. Another of my favorites is the flowy, sensual Facetime produced by J. Cole and Craig Brockman, a song which captures the feeling of anticipation bubbling over. Lastly, there’s the song which shares the album's title, and serves as a perfect example of how timeless Black soul is and its ongoing prevalence in this era of music.
A Seat At the Table by Solange
A Seat at the Table is described by Solange as not just any album, but a “transitional time in [her] life;” and every component of this album, from the production to the colorful verses, feels like it was treated with the care one would give a living thing. The quality of this album is a result of countless days and nights that Solange and many others spent crafting together this album, track by track, and the end result is a phenomenal work of art that’ll continue to carry with me everywhere I go. My go-to songs are the soul-touching F.U.B.U. (feat. The-Dream & BJ The Chicago Kid) produced by Solange, Dave Longstreth, Rosta, Batmanglij and Troy “R8DIO” Johnson; the iconic Don’t Touch My Hair (feat. Sampha) produced by Sampha, Solange, Bryndon Cook, Dave Andrew Sitek, Patrick Wimberly and Troy “R8DIO” Johnson; and an absolutely perfect song, titled Cranes In The Sky produced by Solange, Raphael Saadiq and Troy “R8DIO” Johnson.
SONG OF THE MONTH
boys a liar pt. 2 by PinkPantheress (feat. Ice Spice)
PinkPantheress’ riveting production and compelling melodies, paired with Ice Spice’s increasingly impressive penmanship and alluring flow, make for an amazing song that I never get tired of listening to. As someone who’s slowly grown to like Ice Spice’s music–I thought she would be just another name on the list of one-hit-wonders–I can confidently say that anyone who says otherwise about this song, in particular, is probably just a hater.
Rider by Mereba produced by Elite and KQuick
THAT STEEL PAN, THOUGH? This song transports me to a white-sand beach somewhere in the Caribbean. Mereba’s soft yet powerful voice is akin to sun rays reflecting off the shimmery surface of the waves, and the upbeat melody is the coolness the water provides after wading through the scorching-hot sand.
Thanks for reading, and if you like articles like these, you can look forward to an updated list every month. Make sure you share your favorites with us by signing up for our newsletter and following us on our social media pages. ‘Till next time.
We also welcome your suggestions! Whether you’re a student of the game, a casual listener, or somewhere in between, this shouldn’t be a one-way street. Let’s have some fun with this. Let us know about any additional women artists you’re impressed by in the music industry!