Soul Strutter: 05/20/23

Saturday, 20 May 2023

Maeta feat. Free Nationals [2023] - Through The Night [Roc Nation Records]

A superb soulful R&B song "Through The Night" by Maeta featuring Free Nationals which we think is stunning and she performs it live in the video below!

It builds and builds so don't give up on it without listening all the way through. It makes a pleasant and welcome change as real musicians are playing and not simply sung over beats.

In general we are not fans of R&B but occasionally something like this crops up, the last time we 'gushed' over one was last May with Nanette's "Dream Girl" which was completely ignored.

Maeta Hall hails from Indianapolis (but is now based in L.A.) and gained attention via posting clips on Soundcloud and Instagram. After a few singles, she released a debut EP "Do Not Disturb" in Nov 2019 and has now released a further three EPs along with around fourteen singles.

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Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Roc Nation Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/05/2023
Key/BPM:	3B/33
Price:	£1

Mavis SWAN Poole [2023] - How Do We Grow [MSP / Unlimited Wealth Entertainment]

We featured Mavis SWAN Poole's last single "The Assignment" which was our SoulStrutter Selection of the Week back in October '22.

She returns with another classy single "How Do We Grow" which at present is a strong contender for this week's selection.

Mavis is from Durham, NC, and was a member of Soul Understated who released a couple of albums "On the Shoulders of Giants (Side A)" (2014) and "Songs In The Key Of Grease" (2017) but she also released a solo album "Soul Tree (Sultry)" in 2009.

She is a classically trained music teacher and vocal coach who has performed with many big name artists including Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Lauryn Hill and Shirley Caesar to name but a few.

She is currently working on an EP "Adult Time: Vol 1" which more than likely will include the current single and "The Assignment" so if these are examples then it will be an essential listen.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	MSP / Unlimited Wealth Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/05/2023
Key/BPM:	7A/67
Price:	£1

Isla George [2023] - Afro [AGM Music]

Isla George is yet another new artist (we believe from L.A.) who released her fist single "LA" in Jul '22 and followed them with two singles in 2023 "Be Kind To People" (31 Mar) and "Afromation" (2 May). Her latest single "Afro" was released today (19 May).

We took the time to listen to all her singles and can recommend them all so we have included music videos for all three previous singles below. She is certainly a new artist to watch out for. All songs were co-written by English singer/songwriter/musician Adrian Gurvitz (of I'm gonna write a "Classic" fame 1982).

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Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	AGM Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/05/2023
Key/BPM:	10A/70
Price:	£1

Kibra feat. Sasha L Henry [2023] - If Things Change [Self Released]

Kibra Tesfaye is yet another neo soul artist from Toronto. Her latest single "If Things Change", released today, is her fourteenth since 2018, she has also released two EPs and is currently working on her debut album "Soul Butter".

She is supported on her new single by another Toronto artist, Jamaican born Sasha L Henry, who featured here back in Dec '21 with her sophomore single "Leave" which, after listening again, was rather good.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/05/2023
Key/BPM:	3A/96
Price:	£1

Queen Naija [2023] - Words of Affirmation [Capitol Records]

Queen Naija has only featured here once before on a collaboration with Ari Lennox "Set Him Up", which at the time was from her then forthcoming sophomore album "misunderstood...still", both released in April 2021.

Queen Naija Bull appeared on American Idol in 2014 but didn't make the last 30 and returned to work as a security guard. She then rose to fame from her YouTube channel and released her debut single "Medicine" in 2017 which is now double platinum followed by her second "Karma" in 2018 which also went platinum.

She was signed by Capitol records in March 2018 who released her debut album "Misunderstood' in 2020.

Her new single "Words of Affirmation" is out today and you can tell she has a major label behind the strong production of the big, powerful and soulful, R&B tinged (Jazmine Sullivan like), ballad. We expected, from a major label, that there would be a glossy music video for the new song, but, so far, there's only a lyric video.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Capitol Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/05/2023
Key/BPM:	6A/74
Price:	£1