Female R&B Singers
List of the Top Female R&B Artists
Today’s lineup of female R&B singers can be dated back to the era of the 1980s when Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson were the main female R&B artists, during a time when male artists dominated the charts.
By the 1990s rhythm and blues music exploded, especially for women, with the successful careers of both solo and group female R&B artists through the likes of TLC, Aaliyah, Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Destiny Child’s and many more.
Entering the 2000s, the popularity was not nearly as close as the 1990s but with Beyoncé leading the way, along with Keyshia Cole, Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Keri Hilson, and Ciara, as well with top artists who made their debut during the 1990s continuing their success, the 2000s continued the growth of rhythm and blues.
Today is a new era and a new generation is in control taking the rhythm and blues genre to new levels with a roster of gifted female R&B singers that have displayed no shortage of talented and powerful women that have become some of the music industries most accomplished artists.
Top 25 Female R&B Singers
1. SZA
While her earliest projects, See.SZA.Run and S, showed a glimpse of the artist that we know today, not until the 2017 release of Ctrl did SZA become a household name. One of the all-time greatest rhythm and blues albums featured a collection of hit songs, “The Weekend,” “Love Galore,” “Drew Barrymore,” and “Broken Clocks.”
Follow on Instagram: @SZA and watch on Youtube: SZA
2. Kehlani
After a short run with teen group Poplyfe and appearances on America’s Got Talent, the Oakland native would have her share of ups and downs before linking with Nick Cannon and eventually beginning a prosperous solo career. Starting with the 2014 release of Cloud 19 and the 2015 release of You Should be Here, Kehlani’s career would gradually rise over time, especially following the releases of her freshman and sophomore albums of SweetSexySavage and It Was Good Until It Wasn’t.
Follow on Instagram: @Kehlani and watch on Youtube: Kehlani
3. Jhene Aiko
A veteran to the music industry, Jhene Aiko has been around since the early 2000s when she was originally working with boy group B2K. Not until her 2013 release of Sail Out did Jhene Aiko begin her journey becoming one of the top female R&B singers.
Follow on Instagram: @Jhene Aiko and watch on Youtube: Jhene Aiko
4. Summer Walker
Fresh off the release of Still Over It, the Atlanta native has been making noise in the industry since 2018’s Last Day of Summer and to only become more notarized with 2019’s Over It. A true Cinderella story, grinding from nothing Summer Walker’s self-reliance has led her to becoming 2021’s top rhythm and blues artist.
Follow on Instagram: @Summer Walker and watch on Youtube: Summer Walker
5. H.E.R
A Bay Area singer that was destined to be a star with accolades and achievements that date back to her childhood performing at the Apollo Theater and numerous day time talk shows, while also making a few acting appearances. As most of her life has been consumed by music, H.E.R has become one of the most seasoned female R&B artists.
Follow on Instagram: @H.E.R and watch on Youtube: H.E.R
6. Queen Naija
A natural born star that went from being a top rising YouTuber to becoming one of the country’s top female R&B artists. Beginning her career as a successful Youtuber, in which to this day Queen Naija still releases vlogs on her YouTube channel, not until 2018 did her career as an artist begin to takeoff with the release of her self-titled EP Queen Naija, which featured the hit songs of “Medicine” and “Karma.”
follow on Instagram: @Queen Naija and watch on Youtube: Queen Naija
7. Normani
A former member of the short lived, but legendary, girl group Fifth Harmony, Normani quickly transitioned into becoming a successful solo artist. Despite not having the most extensive catalog of music, Normani quickly gained respect as a solo artist with the hit songs of “Waves,” “Motivation,” and her recent release “Wild Side.”
follow on Instagram: @Normani and watch on Youtube: Normani
8. Ella Mai
Discovered and backed by top West Coast producer DJ Mustard, the British star took over 2018 with the hit songs “Boo’d Up” and “Trip”. While her self-titled album Ella Mai is debut her album, the U.K. artist has three previous EPs, all produced and released through DJ Mustard’s imprint 10 Summers.
follow on Instagram: @Ella Mai and watch on Youtube: Ella Mai
9. jorja smith
Fresh off the release of her latest EP, Be Right Back, Jorja Smith has become one of R&B’s most soulful artists. Since debuting in 2016, Jorja Smith has become not only of the UK’s top performers, but also one of the most accomplished British artists with numerous chart topping and gold and platinum certified albums and singles.
follow on Instagram: @Jorja Smith and watch on Youtube: Jorja Smith
10. Chloe x Halle
Two sisters, Chloe and Halle Bailey, began their careers years ago as rising children actresses. Equally successful in music and acting, the two sisters have appearances in movies alongside Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Keke Palmer, along with co-starring on the hit television show Grown-ish. Despite a long history of acting, Chloe x Halle have always been active musically, but not until 2018’s The Kids Are Alright did fans begin to truly recognize the duo.
Follow on Instagram: @Chloe x Halle and watch on Youtube: Chloe x Halle
11. Tinashe
An experienced artist that started as a child actress and made the passage into music, first with the pop group Stunners before making the jump into a career as a solo artist. Beginning with the self-release of her own music in 2012, Tinashe would eventually have an acclaimed career with the help of projects like 2014’s Aquarius.
Follow on Instagram: @Tinashe and watch on Youtube: Tinashe
12. Ari Lennox
This soulful female R&B artist may have just come onto some fans’ radar after signing to J.Cole’s Dreamville and her 2019 release of Shea Butter Baby, but the DMV native has been mastering her craft as a neo-soul and rhythm and blues artist for some time now.
follow on Instagram: @Ari Lennox and watch on Youtube: Ari Lennox
13. Kiana Ledé
A multi-talented actress and singer has been developing her career since the beginning of the 2010s. Beginning her journey in the entertainment industry as a teenager, Kiana Ledé has truly made an impressive career, from starring on the hit shows Scream and The Washingtons to a growing catalog of music that has included songs like “Ex” and albums like Kiki.
follow on Instagram: @Kiana Ledé and watch on Youtube: Kiana Ledé
14. Jazmine Sullivan
The Grammy nominated and Philadelphia native is arguably one of the greatest singers of our generation. Debuting in 2008 with the classic album Fearless, Jazmine Sullivan has continued a successful career spanning over 3 decades, from the late 2000s to the 2020s, with songs like “Need U Bad,” “Pick Up Your Feelings,” “Insecure,” “Bust Your Windows,” and “Let It Burn.”
follow on Instagram: @Jazmine Sullivan and watch on Youtube: Jazmine Sullivan
15. Teyana Taylor
The fan favorite Teyana Taylor has been making moves since the mid-2000s. The Harlemite began as a dancer appearing in music videos for artists like Jay-Z and Beyonce before being backed by Pharrell, which led to the 2009 release From a Planet Called Harlem. Her career as a R&B artist would truly begin to take form after linking with Kanye West and GOOD Music in 2012.
Follow on Instagram: @Teyana Taylor and watch on Youtube: Teyana Taylor
16. DaniLeigh
Blessed into the music industry by the late icon Prince, this Dominican R&B artist would become known for hit songs like “Lil Bebe,” “No Limits,” “Easy,” and “Levi High.”
Follow on Instagram: @DaniLeigh and watch on Youtube: DaniLeigh
17. JOJO
Hailing from the New England region, Jojo has had a long career that has consisted of a mixture of both pop music and rhythm and blues. Jojo’s music catalog dates back to 2004 with the release of her self-titled debut album Jojo, which featured hit songs like “Leave and Baby It’s You” featuring Bow Wow.
follow on Instagram: @JOJO and watch on Youtube: JOJO
18. sevyn streeter
While entering the rhythm and blues scene with the 2013 hit “It Won’t Stop,” featuring Chris Brown, the Floridian has beyond certified her position in the music industry. Gaining respect among her peers and love from her fans, Sevyn Streeter has been a legend in the making since the early 2010s, and now has continued into the 2020s without skipping a beat.
follow on Instagram: @sevyn streeter and watch on Youtube: sevyn streeter
19. Ann Marie
Coming out of the South Side of Chicago, Ann Marie’s talent is undeniable. With songs like “Different,” “Unlove You,” “Secret,” “Stress Relief,” and many more to prove the talent of the Chicago native, Ann Marie has been grinding since 2014 when she began making short YouTube clips.
Follow on Instagram: @Ann Marie and watch on Youtube: Ann Marie
20. Snoh Aalegra
One of the top female R&B artists to originally come from Europe, Snoh Aalegra has been around since the beginning of the 2010s. Originally going by the moniker Sheri, Snoh Aalegra began to become more of an international artist after her 2014 release There Will Be Sunshine. Over the course of her career Snoh Aalegra has worked with Common, Vince Staples, Logic, Tyler the Creator, Pharrell, and a handful others.
follow on Instagram: @Snoh Aalegra and watch on Youtube: Snoh Aalegra
21. Justine Skye
The talented Justine Skye who shares the same birthplace as Jay-Z and Notorious BIG has stayed persistent throughout the course of her career, ever since debuting in 2012 with her mixtape Skye High and later officially in 2013 after signing with Atlantic Records and releasing the EP Everyday Living. Songs like “U Don’t Know,” “Collide,” “Build,” and “Back for More” have been her most popular songs to date as the list is continuing with an exceptional selection of music that dates back almost ten years.
follow on Instagram: @Justine Skye and watch on Youtube: Justine Skye
22. Victoria Monét
Victoria Monét is one of the most accomplished and gifted songwriters as her songwriting credits include Ariana Grande, K-Pop group Blackpink, Chloe x Halle, T.I. and many more. Her debut as an artist was 2014’s Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 1 and has continued a promising career releasing six EPs with Jaguar being her most successful.
follow on Instagram: @Victoria Monét and watch on Youtube: Victoria Monét
23. Layton Greene
With only a few years in, the Quality Control artist is the one of the fastest rising female R&B singers. Originally being from East St Louis, Layton Greene has made her way into becoming a special new talent with much momentum leading to a very promising career.
follow on Instagram: @Layton Greene and watch on Youtube: Layton Greene
24. Inayah
Hailing from Houston, Inayah quickly rose to stardom with the remake of Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up”. Since releasing her own version of “Boo’d Up,” Inayah has truly solidified herself as an artist with hit songs like “Best Thing” and “Sugar Daddy.”
Follow on Instagram: @Inayah and watch on Youtube: Inayah
25. Alina Baraz
Coming from the city of Cleveland, Alina Baraz has been one of the top rising female R&B artists ever since her debut of release of Urban Flora. Alina Baraz has been mostly known for songs like “Buzzin” and “Floating” and for working with artists like 6LACK, Khalid, and Nas.
follow on Instagram: @Alina Baraz and watch on Youtube: Alina Baraz
Honorable Mention Female R&B Singers:
Wolftyla Instagram: @Wolftyla and Youtube: Wolftyla
Toni Romiti Instagram: @Toni Romiti and Youtube: Toni Romiti
IV JAY Instagram: @IV JAY and Youtube: IV JAY
Tayla Parx Instagram: @Tayla Parx and Youtube: Tayla Parx
Janine Instagram: @Janine and Youtube: Janine
Aleksa Safiya Instagram: @Aleksa Safiya and Youtube: Aleksa Safiya
Sonta Instagram: @Sonta and Youtube: Sonta
TeaMarr Instagram: @TeaMarr and Youtube: TeaMarr
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3 Top 30 All-Time Black Romance Movies
4 Top Female Neo Soul Artists List
*Unofficial Order. The more popular artists that have a combination of the most followers, streams, views, and most recent recent released music are near the top.