Proud & Unfiltered: R&B’s Queer Renaissance

How queer artists like James Bambu, Hamzaa and JeRonelle are rewriting the language of R&B

For decades, queerness in R&B music lived in the margins – coded lyrics, love songs with flipped pronouns, or feelings wrapped in metaphor to make them more “palatable” for the mainstream. But those margins are widening. And today, those artists are hitting the main stage.

In the past decade, a new wave of R&B artists have emerged with voices that are unapologetically queer – not just in identity, but in sound, story, and spirit. They aren’t asking for permission to belong. They’re reminding us they’ve always been here.

When Frank dropped Channel Orange in 2012 and quietly revealed that a man inspired its central love story, he didn’t just shift the conversation – he rewired R&B culture. He demonstrated that vulnerability can exist in spaces previously considered sacred to hypermasculinity. And more importantly, he showed that a queer love story didn’t have to be rewritten to be respected.

Frank Ocean’s 2011 open letter

Janelle Monáe, forever a futurist, didn’t arrive waving a pride flag, but they embedded queerness into their very framework over the years. Albums like Dirty Computer felt like liberation in sonic form: sexy, subversive, and deeply personal. They made it clear that queerness isn’t just about who you love, it’s also about how you exist in the world. And that it can sound as mainstream or as eclectic as you want it to be.

Then there’s Kehlani, whose openness about their identity as a queer artist has made them one of R&B’s most visible and relatable figures. They’ve navigated love, heartbreak, motherhood, and self-discovery with an honesty that feels both radical and aspirational. Kehlani is one of those artists who has a rare closeness with their fans, which has cemented them at the top of R&B, even when chart positions or accolades may suggest otherwise.

Other artists, such as Durand Bernarr, DESTIN CONRAD, kwn, Serpentwithfeet, Syd, Steve Lacy, and Victoria Monét, have followed in their footsteps and made space for queerness to be celebrated by everyone in R&B.

The next generation of R&B isn’t whispering anymore. Rising talents like James Bambu, Hamzaa, and JeRonelle are stepping into the spotlight on their terms. Their music isn’t just defined by queerness – it’s colored by it, deepened by it, and liberated through it. We talked to these three artists this Pride Month about their recent music, the state of R&B, and more.

James Bambu

What does being a queer artist mean to you? Do you feel that doors are opening now that weren’t a few years ago?

Being a queer artist from my perspective means telling my story and being an open book through my music because this type of honesty could potentially help or inspire someone else out there to tell their own story. Or it could even help them overcome the same obstacles most queer people experience trying to navigate adulthood.

I would say that being more honest has certainly opened more doors amongst the Black and Queer communities, but it’s also closed some doors, and I think that simply speaks to where we are as a society. When I made the choice to be honest through my art, I was also making the choice to potentially walk an even more intense path of rejection than I already have, and I was okay with that.

What’s your favorite thing about R&B music right now?

My favorite thing about R&B right now is that the genre is evolving right before our eyes, and people are more open to experimentation with their creativity. I've always believed the best way to evolve Black music in general is to experiment, so it feels good to be in a day and age where R&B as a Black genre has not waned, and we’re currently witnessing a new, more cutting-edge form of R&B.

Talk about your new album ‘Angels In the City’!

Angels in the City is my first album release after a 4-year drought. The title is a nod to all the lessons I’ve learned along the process of crafting this album, and it’s dedicated to every hand that’s helped me get back into a place of confidence to be able to release another project. Through these 13 songs, I was able to tell my true story for the first time, and I was able to experiment with a very non-traditional rollout, stretching the single releases over the last 2 years. I felt it necessary to roll out this way because of how important these songs are to me, and so far, it seems it was well worth the wait.

Hamzaa

What does being a queer artist mean to you? Do you feel like doors are opening now that weren’t a few years ago?

I would agree that there is now a different interest point and a new audience of people who could discover me, and I welcome it with open arms! I think it’s cool that there’s a spotlight because it means more people like me can see themselves, and maybe it can help them understand their feelings and how they identify by relating to me.

What’s your favorite thing about R&B music right now?

The pen game is crazy! People are being intentional with their sonics and with the stories! It’s exciting.

Talk a little bit about your upcoming music and what it means to you.

Oh wow, I’m working on my debut album!! Literally a piece of my heart to the world. I wanted to tell my story over the last 5 years and bundle it up into a soundtrack, more of a cinematic, storytelling type of situation than just a musical offering. At least that’s how I’d love for people to receive it! It means I can finally let that portion of my life and those things be the past; it means I can showcase a side of my writing and my voice that I haven’t really gotten to showcase yet. Oh, and it’s independent!

JeRonelle

What does being a queer artist mean to you? Do you feel like doors are opening now that weren’t a few years ago?

When I think of my journey thus far as an independent male R&B artist who happens to be proudly queer, I think of the power of representation. In a time where diversity and culture are being set back, we sometimes underestimate just how much representation still matters. Ever since opening up about my sexuality, I've been on a journey to take up space within the industry and show the world that even a guy as complex as I am (masculine, queer, quirky, Gospel-influenced, & Midwest-born) can carve out an undeniable lane within the R&B genre. I'm constantly reminding myself that my voice, my music, & my perspective are all important and equally as capable of resonating with large audiences. I'm excited to continue blazing a trail and further evolving into the type of artist that I needed to see more of when I was younger.

What’s your favorite thing about R&B music right now?

I'd say my 2 favorite things about R&B right now are the influx of new voices on the rise, as well as the slow re-emergence of skilled & studied musicianship (both instrumental and vocal). There are a lot of incredible R&B artists (both straight and queer) on the rise who have put out great music over the past year including Durand Bernarr, Jailen Josey, Leon Thomas, TA Thomas, CoCo Jones, and of course - myself. After so many years of conversation around R&B being steered in a negative direction, I feel this new generation has made it clear that we have something to say (and that our mics are on loudly and clearly as we say it). Additionally, I love that with all of the artists I mentioned, there is a certain level of skill and dedication to craft within each voice, as well as great musicianship within each artist's music. As R&B continues to push forward over the next few years, I sense an even greater return to innovation, live instrumentation, and musical risk-taking.

Talk about your new ‘Jaded Lover’ EP.

My latest EP 'Jaded Lover' was designed to take listeners on a sonic ride as I navigate the ups and downs of dating in these single streets. Although some of the lyrical content is rooted in frustration, longing, & loneliness, I intentionally wrote many of the songs to be uptempo to lead listeners to 'dance the hurt away'. With this being my 5th project, I'm so proud of the work that was put in by my collaborators and me, and I'm truly grateful for the fantastic response it’s received from fans, new listeners, and R&B tastemakers alike. I'm excited to take my supporters further along on the ride as I gear up for more new music to drop soon.

---

This shift isn’t just happening in the music – it’s showing up in the visuals, in the collaborators, and in the communities that surround these artists. We see it on tour stages and concert halls that feel like safe spaces. We watch it in music videos that embrace intimacy in all forms. We hear it in lyrics that name what used to be unspoken.

And the audience? They’re more than ready. Because when R&B makes room for the full spectrum of love and identity, it doesn’t lose anything. It expands and evolves. It grows louder, deeper, and more honest.