Oakland-born singer-songwriter Kehlani has spent the last decade digging into the millennium-era R&B that raised them. The 31-year-old vocalist glides through classic slow-jam sensuality with lush harmonies and lyrics vulnerable enough to bring a teardrop to the dance floor. After experimenting with pop-laced production on SweetSexySavage and dark alternative beats on It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, their recent self-titled project signals a return to the singer’s soulful, groove-driven confessionals. The record’s nostalgic gloss is reinforced with its star-studded collaborators, featuring the crown jewels of R&B and hip-hop: Brandy, Usher, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliott, and Clipse, alongside modern acts Cardi B and Leon Thomas. For all their nods to the past, Kehlani is moving forward with velvet flourish. – Miranda Garza