Amanda Holley – No More
Amanda Holley's 'No More' is a stunning neo-soul anthem, five octaves of raw healing wrapped in a stunning, vibe-filled velvet production
Amanda Holley opens 'No More' with a voice that knows exactly where it has been. The track moves through desire, defiance and something harder to name, a spiritual intimacy that refuses to settle for less. The production never crowds it: Alvin Anthony and RG keep things stripped back enough that Holley's vocal stays at the centre, moving from whisper to declaration without losing control. It's also just really, really groovy and I love the repeated refrain as it becomes a moment of release. Stunning contemporary R&B, vulnerable and defiant in equal measure.
Holley is a Newark native, biracial Black American, a self-taught violinist from age two who has been performing live since she was seven. Her mother trained at Manhattan School of Music, her estranged father wrote for Sarah Vaughan, and her aunt Pat Holley discovered and co-managed Stephanie Mills. A Recording Academy GRAMMY Voting Member, she has played Coachella, Carnegie Hall, Birdland and the United Nations. 'No More' is the latest chapter from her upcoming EP, The HolleyGraphic. This one deserves to travel far.
AV – Meant 2 be
AV's 'Meant 2 be' is a stunning slice of contemporary R&B, turning real heartbreak into something soothing, vulnerable, and brilliantly crafted
AV's 'Meant 2 be' hits different. Born from the end of his relationship with the mother of his child, this one channels that specific ache into something warm and spacious. Producer Frosty builds a bed of calm textures that never crowd the emotional centre, and there's a stunning piano arrangement under this, before letting AV's tender vocal delivery carry the weight. There's real restraint here, a willingness to sit in the feeling rather than push through it. The melody sticks with you, the arrangement breathes, and that vulnerability lands without ever tipping into melodrama. Gorgeous contemporary R&B, honest and deeply moving.
AV is a Plano, TX artist stepping confidently outside his hip-hop roots. He's spent years at Tune Tank Entertainment in Garland alongside producer Frosty, and after a two-year break from releasing, this marks a fresh direction. Drawing from classic soul and newer voices like KWN, he's built something personal without being closed off. More releases are already in the pipeline. Essential alt-R&B this autumn.
Arimatea – True Voice
Arimatea's 'True Voice' is a gorgeous contemporary soul single, blending old-school warmth with a message of self-discovery that hits right where it needs to
Arimatea opens 'True Voice' with vocal authority that makes you stop what you're doing. The track builds from the grooviest chords, with intimate verses into a chorus that swells without ever losing its footing. I love the build, and there's real craft in how the arrangement breathes, giving space to lyrics about shedding expectation and finding what's underneath. And that hook? It lands clean. Gorgeous contemporary soul, uplifting and entirely earned.
Arimatea is an Italian singer-songwriter and vocal coach based in Milan whose path has taken her through New Orleans, New York and London. Her sound pulls from Whitney Houston, Nina Simone and Alicia Keys while staying firmly her own. She picked up Best Artist of the Year at the Modern Soulful Musician Award, and alongside her recording work she runs the True Voice vocal method and hosts the podcast 'Women On A Soul Journey'. More of this please, it's great.