Female R&B Singers

List of the Top Female R&B Artists

While 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 controlled the charts, 2022’s lineup has completely taken over and has been dominating the landscape of today’s music.

During 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 and Rihanna leading the way, alongside Keyshia Cole, Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Keri Hilson, and Ciara, 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 an extensive roster of gifted female R&B singers that have displayed no shortage of talented and powerful women, becoming some of the music industry’s most accomplished artists.

Top 25 Female R&B Singers

1. SZA

While SZA’s 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 she 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.” While years after the release of Ctrl, SZA’s brief hiatus was short lived after dropping songs like “I Hate U,” “Hit Different,” and “Good Days.”

Follow on Instagram: @SZA and watch on Youtube: SZA

2. Summer Walker

Fresh off the classic release of Still Over It, the Atlanta native has been making noise in the industry since 2018’s Last Day of Summer, only becoming more notarized with 2019’s Over It. A true Cinderella story, grinding from nothing, Summer Walker’s self-reliance has led her to continuing her domination in R&B into 2022, remaining as one of the top rhythm and blues artists.

Follow on Instagram: @Summer Walker and watch on Youtube: Summer Walker

3. 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, SweetSexySavage and It Was Good Until It Wasn’t.

Follow on Instagram: @Kehlani and watch on Youtube: Kehlani

4. 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 Jhene Aiko’s 2013 release of Sail Out did she begin her journey becoming one of the top female R&B singers.

Follow on Instagram: @Jhene Aiko and watch on Youtube: Jhene Aiko

5. H.E.R

A Bay Area singer that was destined to be a star, with accolades and achievements during 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 and entertainment, 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. Normani

A former member of the short lived, but legendary, girl group Fifth Harmony, Normani quickly switched lanes 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

7. 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 was her debut album, the U.K. artist has three previous EPs, all produced and released through DJ Mustard’s imprint 10 Summers, all equally as good as the next.

follow on Instagram: @Ella Mai and watch on Youtube: Ella Mai

8. Queen Naija

A natural born star that went from being a top rising YouTuber, to becoming one of the nation’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.

follow on Instagram: @Queen Naija and watch on Youtube: Queen Naija

9. Tinashe

An experienced artist that started as a child actress, eventually 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 and the hit song “2 On” featuring Schoolboy Q.

Follow on Instagram: @Tinashe and watch on Youtube: Tinashe

10. jorja smith

Fresh off the release of her latest EP, Be Right Back, Jorja Smith has become one of R&B’s most talented artists. Since debuting in 2016, Jorja Smith has become not only one 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

11. Chloe x Halle

Two sisters, Chloe and Halle Bailey, began their careers years ago as rising child 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

12. 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

13. Ari Lennox

This soulful female R&B artist may have just come onto some fans’ radar after signing to J.Cole’s Dreamville and the release of Shea Butter Baby (2019), 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

14. DaniLeigh

Blessed into the music industry by the late icon Prince, this Dominican R&B artist and Florida native would become known for hit songs like “Lil Bebe,” “No Limits,” “Easy,” and “Levi High.” While of late, DaniLeigh has been at the center of controversy, she still remains one of the most gifted artists in R&B.

Follow on Instagram: @DaniLeigh and watch on Youtube: DaniLeigh

15. 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 first release was in 2004 with her self-titled debut album Jojo, which featured hit songs like “Leave and Baby It’s You.”

follow on Instagram: @JOJO and watch on Youtube: JOJO

16. 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, continuing into the 2020s without skipping a beat.

follow on Instagram: @sevyn streeter and watch on Youtube: sevyn streeter

17. 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

18. Snoh Aalegra

One of the top female R&B artists to originally hail 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 top stars in music.

follow on Instagram: @Snoh Aalegra and watch on Youtube: Snoh Aalegra

19. 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, 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, a catalog with an exceptional selection of music that dates back almost ten years.

follow on Instagram: @Justine Skye and watch on Youtube: Justine Skye

20. Sabrina Claudio

In what started as a career on YouTube covering top mainstream songs, Sabrina Claudio quickly transitioned into a professional career in music. Since her official debut in 2016, she has been on the rise with a body work that began with the hit “Confidently Lost.”

follow on Instagram: @Sabrina Claudio and watch on Youtube: Sabrina Claudio

21. Mahalia

This U.K. based R&B artist has been making her rounds in music for quite some time now. While her first official release was in 2012 with the EP Head Space, Mahalia’s 2016 release of Diary of Me is what sprung her into the spotlight. One of the most talented, her level of artistry allows her to venture between the sounds of neo soul and mainstream rhythm and blues.

follow on Instagram: @Mahalia and watch on Youtube: Mahalia

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. Since, she has continued a promising career as an artist, releasing six EPs with Jaguar being her most successful.

follow on Instagram: @Victoria Monét and watch on Youtube: Victoria Monét

23. Alina Baraz

Originally 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,” while working with some of the biggest names in the business, like 6LACK, Khalid, and Nas.

follow on Instagram: @Alina Baraz and watch on Youtube: Alina Baraz

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. 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 nonstop since 2014 when she began making short YouTube clips.

Top 25 Female R&B Singers: 2022’s Best Female R&B Artists List