Listen to new must-hear songs from R&B/hip-hop artists such as Casper Sage and Denise Julia.
Casper Sage
Kareem Abdul
Weekend One of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival dominated headlines over the April 10-12 weekend.
Sandwiched between a maximalist Sabrina Carpenter set on Friday (April 10) and a history-making headlining performance by Karol G on Sunday (April 12), Justin Bieber easily delivered the most-talked-about Coachella performance. Built around the platform on which he got his big break — YouTube — Bieber mounted a remarkably intimate show that read as a real-time therapy session between his present-day self and the inner child who was preyed upon by the music industry.
Young Thug also had a memorable Coachella set — primarily because of his reflexive on-stage parenting of North West, who he spotted in the crowd seemingly without a parent or guardian. To be fair, Kim Kardashian certainly attended the festival alongside her eldest daughter, but Ye’s firstborn was rocking with Thugger on her own. Considering the budding 12-year-old producer is making her festival debut during the first night of Summer Smash 2026 in June, North was right where she’s supposed to be.
Outside of the festival world, Bruno Mars kicked off his massive Romantic Tour in Las Vegas on Friday (April 10), featuring the return of Silk Sonic and a testimony that he “paid the casino off a long time ago.” Chris Brown and Usher also got in on the stadium tour business with the announcement of their upcoming joint R&B (Raymond & Brown) Tour.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from a steamy new Kenyon Dixon single to a standout cut from Momo Boyd’s debut solo EP. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Kenyon Dixon, “Talk You Through It”
Kenyon Dixon has earned five Grammy nominations in almost as many years, and he’s maintaining that momentum with his sexy new “Talk You Through It” single. “Let me make myself clear/ I’ll be pulling you near/ Whispering in your ear,” he croons in the pre-chorus, nimbly maneuvering through a rap-sung cadence that builds on the ’00s R&B that Frank Rose’s production calls upon. Arriving as the first taste of his upcoming concept album, Ego Ruins Everything, Dixon’s new track is a winner that seamlessly shifts him into a steamier, sultrier lane. — KYLE DENIS
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Denise Julia, “2GOOD4U”
Seeking an overseas breakthrough, Denise Julia moved from the Philippines to New York City to fully immerse herself in American culture. Following an extended hiatus, the Filipina singer kicked off her next era with “2GOOD4U.” The sensual R&B track boasts a throwback 2000s feel and veers into the pop lane, while Deej ruminates about moving on from a trifling ex. “You did me wrong/ Had to dip my heart in chrome/ I ain’t cryin’ denim tears/ Rather leave your ass alone,” she sings. After sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden for a Knicks game alongside a who’s who of stars over the weekend, she’s already making good on her promise to become an honorary New Yorker. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
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Momo Boyd, “Oops”
On “Oops,” Momo Boyd delivers a self-aware, chaotic take on being the one who causes emotional damage in a relationship, not out of malice, but out of inconsistency and impulse. Written by Boyd alongside Khris Riddick-Tynes, who also leads production with Ashton “SNW” Norful and Antonio Dixon, the track pairs a light, playful sound with lyrics that reveal a deeper pattern of contradiction. “He tеlling me I’m special/ He nеver felt this way before/ The feeling isn’t mutual though,” she sings over the bouncy instrumental. Momo captures the push-and-pull of someone who understands that sometimes they are the problem. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
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Fergie Baby feat. Cam’Ron, “Harlem River Drive”
Fergie Baby is looking to hold down Harlem for what looks like another summer after following up his impressive Summer League Series, Vol. 1 project last July with the uptown anthems “Good Day to Be in Harlem” alongside Ferg and now the “Harlem River Drive (Flee-mix)” with the help of Wavy Arty on the boards and Harlem legend Cam’ron. Be sure to give this track the car test while speeding up and down the Harlem River Drive. — ANGEL DIAZ
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Casper Sage, “Change Your Mind”
For the latest taste of his forthcoming PATINA EP, Oklahoma City native Casper Sage has shared “Change Your Mind.” A breezy cut that simultaneously recalls Frank Ocean’s Blonde and the most boisterous of ’80s melodic flourishes, “Change” finds Sage pondering the mystery of post-breakup life. “Give me room to go and fly, I’ll give you room to change your mind/ If you want to, you’ll always be a guest of mine,” he declares in the chorus, leaving the door open just a tad in case life wants to surprise him. — K.D.
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Blxst feat. Big Sad 1900 & Lori Perry, “Day After Day”
Blxst teams up with Big Sad 1900 and Lori Perry on “Day After Day,” a reflective track about perseverance through constant struggle. The trio highlights that no matter how far you’ve come, life keeps testing you. Self-produced by Blxst and built around a sample of Perry’s 1996 track “Up Against the Wind,” Blxst approaches the theme from a place of growth, turning repeated losses into motivation while acknowledging how those experiences hardened him. Together, the three artists examine how success can actually take you “back to square one” — because it doesn’t erase trauma or reset your life emotionally. — C.C.
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Ovrkast feat. Niontay, “Wata”
Both Ovrkast and Niontay made names for themselves last year with their respective albums, While the Iron Is Hot and Fada<3of$, so it’s cool to see young up-and-coming artists with distinctively different styles link up like this to provide their fans with a banger. Also, gotta give them props for stylizing the name of this song like this. It’s pretty slick (IYKYK). They should follow it up with “Chudai” next. — A.D.
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