rnb – SCOOPE

The line that quietly runs through Kehlani’s evolving body of work

Her new album shows an artist shaping a story rather than chasing a sound

In the world of modern RnB there is no shortage of stars. SZA, Summer Walker, H E R, Jorja Smith, Ella Mai. They all shape the sound of the moment. What makes Kehlani stand out has little to do with vocal runs or production choices. It is the way her career forms a visible line. A story that keeps unfolding in public with a sense of direction that feels deliberate rather than accidental.

That line becomes clearer when you look at where she comes from. Kehlani grew up in Oakland, a place where creativity and hardship often sit close together. Her mother moved in and out of prison, her father passed away when she was still a toddler, and an aunt stepped in to raise her with a steadiness that shaped her early life. Dance was her first focus and she trained seriously at the Oakland School for the Arts until a knee injury forced her to shift her attention. That shift opened the door to music. When you view her work through that background, the consistency in her path makes sense. The discipline from her training, the resilience formed by her upbringing, the instinct to keep moving even when the direction changes. It all forms the quiet engine behind her career.

Her new self titled album underlines that. A project named after yourself is rarely a casual decision. It suggests a moment of clarity, a pause, a desire to define where you are before moving on. The PR surrounding the release hints at that shift. Awards, cultural moments, collaborations that bridge generations, stages that signal a broader reach. None of it feels random. It reads like a pattern.

The music itself carries the familiar language of RnB. Warmth, romance, soul, intimacy. It is what listeners expect from her and she delivers it with ease. But the real movement sits underneath the surface. Kehlani has been growing in public for years and this album feels like another chapter in that process. Not a reinvention, but a moment of alignment. A point where the personal and the professional meet in a way that feels intentional.

Folded’s success, the link with Missy Elliott, the recognition across award platforms, the global stages she steps onto. These moments form a narrative that is bigger than a single release. They show an artist who is shaping her own arc rather than reacting to the landscape around her.

For SCOOPE, that is the entry point. The evolution. The sense that this album is part of a larger movement in her work. A movement that is steady, thoughtful, and worth paying attention to.

LISTEN TO KEHLANI HERE | PURCHASE VINYL HERE

Sensuality, Smoke & Soul

James Vickery at paradiso – A night of soulful initimacy and playful energy.

On December 3, 2025, SCOOPE contributor Giorgio Airietja covered James Vickery’s Paradiso Amsterdam performance, attended at the invitation of the artist’s PR team. The evening unfolded as a 55‑minute display of Vickery’s signature mix of sensual R&B, playful experimentation, and heartfelt storytelling. A compact set that left the crowd both fulfilled and eager for more.

The evening opened with Like That, a track originally featuring BIA. Though the guest artist was absent, Vickery compensated with a sultry live arrangement. The drummer and bass elements, partly supported by tape, created a lush, seductive atmosphere that resonated strongly with couples in the crowd. A distinctive microphone effect added a vocoder‑like low vocal layer, which the audience clearly appreciated, setting the tone for an intimate yet innovative night.

As the lights shifted to deep blue and smoke filled the stage, Vickery shed his jacket and revealed another side of his artistry. The Reason showcased not only his vocal depth but also his impressive guitar skills. This slow jam seamlessly transitioned into a different beat, surprising the audience and reinforcing his reputation as a versatile performer.

Introducing ILU as “eye‑contact lovemaking music,” Vickery leaned fully into the sensuality of his repertoire. The track’s intimacy was palpable, drawing the audience closer into his world of soulful vulnerability.

After the slow jams, Vickery lifted the mood with You Comfort Me. Originally featuring Earthgang, the track’s upbeat energy translated into a feel‑good moment for the crowd. Vickery filled in Earthgang’s verse with confidence and added unexpected dance moves, which delighted the audience and showcased his playful stage presence.

Before unveiling his tender take on Aerosmith’s classic Dont wanna miss a thing, Vickery light‑heartedly asked the crowd if they were familiar with the band. A playful moment that set the stage for his reinterpretation. He explained that while he rarely performs covers, this song held personal significance. Stripped of its rock bombast, his version relied on alternative arrangements and no heavy beat, creating a tender reinterpretation that the crowd warmly embraced.

One of the evening’s most touching moments came with You and I, a song Vickery wrote for his best friend and his wife’s first dance at their wedding. Delivered with sincerity, the track added a layer of emotional depth to the set, reminding the audience of the personal stories behind his music.

The finale carried a bittersweet note. Vickery revealed that due to label restrictions, Fall in Your Arms would no longer be performed — making this rendition a special farewell. The song’s emotional weight and soaring delivery provided a fitting conclusion to the night.

Though the show lasted only 50 to 55 minutes — shortened further by a late start — James Vickery’s Paradiso performance was a concentrated burst of artistry. From sensual R&B to playful dance moves, from intimate dedications to bold reinterpretations, he offered a multifaceted glimpse into his musical world. The audience may have wished for more, but what they received was a carefully curated journey through Vickery’s evolving artistry — one that balanced intimacy, innovation, and emotional resonance.

Pride, purpose & the power of soul: Josh Barry on first takes, theatre roots & finding his voice

An intimate look at the roots, rituals and soulwork behind his artistic voice

Josh Barry’s new EP Pride & Purpose is almost here and Scoope’s London correspondent Phoebe Nadorp got the chance to chat with him about everything that led up to it. They talked about growing up in theatre, touring with Gorgon City, writing “Pride” in LA, and why recording on the first take can be pure magic. It’s a conversation full of honesty, humour, and the kind of soul that transcends genre.

PN: Can you describe the ‘Josh Barry Experience’ in 3 words?

JB: In three words, I’d say it’s raw, energetic, and honest.
It began during lockdown, after I released Art and Soul. The Josh Barry show was hard to define. I play solo or with a band, and I’m very collaborative. I wanted to bring all that into one experience. Every show is different. I grew up in theatre, so that was key to it all. I didn’t want people to see one show and then watch me tour the exact same thing. I wanted it to feel like you came to that one night only. So it began as an experience and turned into a separate project. And now, here we are, flying.

PN: That’s amazing. I have another follow-up question that leads to this, but now I want to know, since you grew up in the theater, do you have any favorite musical shows oranything in that world that you love, even if it doesn’t directly align with the ‘Josh Barry experience’?

JB: I grew up in, well, I was in the West End in The Lion King as a kid.

PN: I’m so jealous, the younger me wants to fight you right now.

JB:(Laughs) Yeah, it was my first taste of being professional, the first glimpse of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was surrounded by adults who knew they were doing what they were born to do. That’s such an infectious feeling to be around at a young age. I was just finishing primary school and, at the same time, travelling to London three times a week to perform in the West End. It was like living a double life. I hadn’t really been to theatre school, apart from Soul Theatre School in Ruislip on Saturdays, and I loved it. But being around kids from Sylvia Young who had trained their whole lives was eye-opening. That lack of formal education in what I do has actually worked in my favour. It keeps me raw and honest. My manager might disagree, but it’s definitely shaped my whole career. That was one of my
favourite experiences ever.

PN: I’ve definitely heard from musicians that when you’re so formally trained, it can become too methodological, you lose the feeling. I’m just picturing you leaving primary school like the Hannah Montana of The Lion King.

JB: (Laughs) So great.

PN: Was there any early moment or experience, maybe when you were that young or in your teens, that was key in shaping you as a person or artist?

JB: Yeah, The Lion King was definitely one. Then later, I was working on building sites while releasing music. I remember my song came on the radio while I was digging a hole. I said, “That’s my song!” and my boss just went, “Cool, now keep digging.” (Laughs) That double life again, such a contrast. I did that for a few years, then got picked up by Gorgon City and toured with them for nearly a decade. That taught me so much, the ropes of the industry. I watched two of the biggest artists in UK dance music do their thing, and they took me under their wing. I was trained up as an MC and host for the night, performing songs by MNEK, Maverick Sabre, Elderbrook, amazing artists. I got to fill their shoes all around the world. I learned what I didn’t want to do in my career, and what I did. Leaving that was hard. I had to tell them, “I’m a soul musician, but I also love rock and jazz… I need to do my own thing.” I’d played O2, Brixton Academy, Red Rocks, all these venues, but not yet as myself. So I left, started again, entered the Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition, and from there became a solo artist again. That was a huge moment.

PN: It sounds like it can be really liberating to start again, especially after so long in the game. Having people to look up to can be inspiring, but it can also make it harder to branch out.

JB: Yeah, exactly. You go from five-star hotels and a tour manager to sharing rooms and carrying your own bags again. (Laughs) It’s humbling.

PN: Yeah, that sounds like a blessing and a rude awakening, but necessary. You’ve had this whole journey of balance, from digging holes to touring worldwide, and now doing your own thing. I feel like that balance shows in your EP, between self-belief and humility, especially in the first track, Pride. How did that shape your sound and the emotion of the EP?

JB: It came from that transition period. I was still working with them while focusing more on my own music. When we toured LA, I’d stay longer for writing sessions. That’s how I started building projects like Art and Soul and Pride and Purpose. I actually wrote “Pride” about six years ago in LA. A lot of my songs come from channeling feelings that don’t always make sense at the time. I’ll write something, leave the studio, and later realize what it meant. Sometimes it feels prophetic, like the song teaches me what it’s about later.

PN: That’s so interesting, like the Rick Rubin idea of being a channel. Maybe it’s not you consciously writing but something moving through you. And I think your sound captures that, very raw, very soul. Was there a particular narrative arc to the EP?

JB: Yeah, I wanted the EPs to feel like chapters, almost like books telling a story. Pride and Purpose is about swallowing your pride, stepping into purpose, and shifting from looking inward to looking outward, from self to service. I like that my songs can mean different things depending on the listener. I’m not always literal, I love when multiple viewpoints can find meaning in the same song. That makes compiling projects fun, because the story often reveals itself through the songs.

PN: That’s lovely. It’s freeing for listeners too, especially emerging artists who feel pressure to fit a product or genre. You’re championing multidimensionality, like, Bob from Essex and Trina from Lagos are both able to vibe to it.

JB: (Laughs) I want to meet Trina from Lagos.

PN: (Laughs) That’s my girl!
The fact that you’re blending this really soulful, vintage sound but keeping it modern, how do you see yourself preserving soul while reinventing it in the Josh Barry way?

JB: I think life is already perfect, so imperfections make art perfect too. You lose that when you over-edit or over-polish. Feeling transcends language. You can feel sincerity in a vocal take, even if you don’t speak the language. I love organic music because it stands the test of time. Modern elements come from collaboration, choosing the right producer, letting the band express themselves. I don’t dictate every part, everyone in the room has a soul to express. If you build the right team, you’ll get that balance of vintage and modern without it feeling like just a throwback.

PN: Trusting the process and letting imperfection guide it.

JB: Exactly. I got this far by being open to the fluidity of life. None of us really know what we’re doing, we’re just feeling it out.

PN: Besides that mindset, do you have any must-haves in the studio? Like something you need to have with you? Like you have to have your shades on or something like that (Laughs)?

JB: I wish I was that cool with my shades and all, but no, for me, it’s about showing up ready to channel. I’d rather arrive grounded and focused than flustered. A lot of my songs, like “Spirit Road,” were recorded on the first take, the first time I ever heard the beat. That purity matters. If you don’t record it right away, you lose that magic.

PN: Are there any artists you wish you could’ve collaborated with, dead or alive?

JB: Gotta be MJ. I’d probably melt and not get a word in. (Laughs) James Brown would make me cry, Bob Marley’s doing his own thing, but Amy Winehouse, yeah, Amy and MJ.

PN: Have you seen the trailer for the new Michael Jackson biopic?

JB: No! But if it’s his family doing it, that’s promising. I don’t need more people coming for him.

PN: Right? He’s everyone’s top pick. Even his raw vocals, the stacks, the texture, insane.

JB: Yeah, and you can hear his feet shuffling in the background in the recordings (Laughs).

PN: Final question, what’s next for you? Personally, spiritually, sonically?

JB: Richer detail. More touring. More evolution of sound. I’ve actually got the next record ready.
The last proper tour was with Rag’n’Bone Man, but we hadn’t released anything then. Being independent is a constant learning process, but I’m walking my own path and it’s paying off.

The support slots I’ve had, even without music out, have been blessings. Musically, you haven’t seen half of it yet. Personally, I’m quieting down, less ego, more peace, family, and health. I’m not chasing accolades or number ones, but I don’t see my music going anywhere but worldwide. I think it’s just a matter of time. Really.

PN: Amazing, worldwide domination.

JB: Yes!

Further listening
Josh Barry – All My Love
Josh Barry – Faith
The Josh Barry Experience – Pride