Artists like Nao

Mahalia Burkmar, known mononymously as Mahalia, is a British singer, songwriter and actress. Mahalia has released several EPs and three albums, Diary of Me (2016), Love and Compromise (2019) and IRL (2023). She also acted in the film Brotherhood (2016). She had her breakthrough in 2017 with her performance of "Sober" for the YouTube channel Colors. In 2018, she was ranked number one on YouTube's Ones to Watch list.

Snoh Sheri Nowrozi, better known by her stage name Snoh Aalegra, is a Swedish R&B singer. Her debut album, Feels, was released in 2017, followed by Ugh, Those Feels Again in 2019.

Amber Mark is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. Her multifaceted style implements sounds from hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul, and bossa nova. She released her first EP, 3:33am, in May 2017, followed by her EP Conexão in 2018. Her debut album, Three Dimensions Deep, was released in January 2022. Pretty Idea followed as her sophomore album in October 2025.

Joy Elizabeth Akther Crookes is a British singer-songwriter. She incorporates details about relationships, self-reliance, her culture, her South London roots, and her identity in her music. Crookes has released three extended plays since 2017 and was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2020 Brit Awards.

Joyce Wrice is an American singer and songwriter from San Diego, California. Known for her blend of R&B and neo soul, she gained recognition with her debut studio album, Overgrown (2021). In 2023, Wrice earned a nomination alongside music producer Kaytranada at the Juno Awards.

VanJess was a Nigerian-American R&B duo composed of sisters Ivana Nwokike and Jessica Nwokike. The duo began their career on YouTube performing cover songs. After one of their videos, a cover of Drake's "Headlines", had viral success, they decided to pursue a serious career in music. In 2011, the duo hired a manager and recorded in a studio for the first time. On November 12, 2018, the group announced that they had signed to the RCA joint venture label Keep Cool. Thus far in their career, VanJess has released one studio album, Silk Canvas, and one EP, Homegrown.

Jonathan Josiah Wise, known professionally as serpentwithfeet, is an R&B singer based in Brooklyn, New York City. Wise signed with the English record label Tri Angle to release his debut extended play (EP), Blisters (2016). He entered a joint venture with Secretly Canadian to release his debut studio album, soil (2018), which was met with critical acclaim. His second EP, Apparition (2020), and his second and third albums, Deacon (2021) and Grip (2024), were each met with continued critical praise.

Ravyn Lenae Washington is an American singer and songwriter from Chicago, currently signed to Atlantic Records and the Three Twenty Three Music Group. She is also a member of the musical collective Zero Fatigue. Her debut EP, Moon Shoes, was released independently in 2015 and later reissued by Atlantic Records in 2016. Her follow up EP, Midnight Moonlight, was released in 2017. She has performed at several music festivals and in 2017 toured with SZA on her Ctrl Tour and Noname on her Telefone Tour. Her discography blends elements of "R&B, pop, dance, rock, Afrobeats and reggae", according to Billboard.

Sasha Keable is a British singer and songwriter. In 2013, she collaborated with Disclosure on the single "Voices" and toured with the duo around the UK. In 2014, she supported singer Katy B on her UK tour. She has released two extended plays to date, Black Book (2013) and Lemongrass and Limeleaves (2014). Both were signed to Tinie Tempah's independent record label Disturbing London.

Kiana Ledé Brown is an American singer and actress. She first starred as Zoe Vaughn on the second season of MTV's horror series Scream (2015–2019). She also starred as Veronica Washington on Netflix's original series All About the Washingtons. Brown began her recording career in 2012, releasing two extended plays (EPs) until singing with Republic Records to release her third EP, Selfless (2018). It spawned the single "Ex", which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her debut studio album, Kiki (2020), peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200.

David Debrandon Brown, professionally known as Lucky Daye, is an American singer-songwriter who works in the R&B genre. He signed with Keep Cool Records and RCA Records and released his first two extended plays entitled I (2018) and II (2019),leading to the release of his first studio album, Painted (2019). His third extended play, Table for Two (2021), won the Best Progressive R&B Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

Sabrina Claudio is an American singer and songwriter. In late 2016, Claudio uploaded several songs to SoundCloud, before compiling a select collection as part of her debut extended play, Confidently Lost, which was released independently in March 2017.

Christopher Joseph Gallant III, known professionally as Gallant, is an American singer and songwriter from Columbia, Maryland, signed to Mind of a Genius Records and Warner Bros. Records. He first began to gain recognition after self-releasing his debut EP, Zebra in 2014. His debut studio album, Ology, was released worldwide in April 2016 to critical acclaim, earning him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Hope Natasha McDonald, known professionally as Hope Tala, is a British singer-songwriter. Her musical style has been described as pulling from R&B, Latin, neo soul, and bossa nova. Tala released her first studio album, Hope Handwritten, in February 2025.

Dvsn is a Canadian R&B duo composed of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85. After releasing three songs in 2015, the duo signed with Canadian rapper Drake through his label OVO Sound. They released their debut studio album Sept. 5th to positive reviews that same year. Their second album, Morning After (2017), continued their critical success. They released their third album A Muse in Her Feelings (2020) and followed that up with the collaborative album Cheers to the Best Memories (2021) with Ty Dolla Sign. The duo's fourth studio album, Working on My Karma, was released on October 22, 2022.

Jamila Abidemi Woods is an American singer, songwriter and poet based in Chicago, Illinois. Woods is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep and Brown University, where she received a BA in Africana Studies and Theater & Performance Studies. Her work focuses on themes of Black ancestry, Black feminism, and Black identity, with recurring emphases on self-love and the City of Chicago.

Alexandra Isley is an American singer-songwriter and producer. She released her debut EP The Love/Art Memoirs in 2012. Isley has worked with artists including Scarface, Terrace Martin, Masego, 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Tank and the Bangas, and Lucky Daye. Isley has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Chloe Elizabeth Bailey, also known mononymously as Chlöe, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She rose to prominence alongside her sister Halle Bailey as Chloe x Halle. The duo released two studio albums, with their second, Ungodly Hour (2020), being met with widespread acclaim upon release. In 2021, Bailey released her debut solo single "Have Mercy", which was certified platinum in the U.S. Her debut album, In Pieces, was released in 2023. Her second studio album, Trouble in Paradise, was released in 2024.

Priscilla Renea Hamilton, known professionally as Muni Long, is an American singer and songwriter from Gifford, Florida. Under her birth name, she signed with Capitol Records to release her debut studio album Jukebox (2009), which was met with positive critical reception despite limited commercial attention. She then spent the following decade co-writing songs for other artists, namely the singles "Promise This" by Cheryl, "California King Bed" by Rihanna, "Worth It" by Fifth Harmony, "Love So Soft" by Kelly Clarkson, "Imagine" by Ariana Grande, "Who Says" by Selena Gomez & the Scene, and the global hit "Timber" by Pitbull.