Photo Courtesy: Breyona Holt
Zae France wants to remind fans why they love R&B. The North Carolina-born, Connecticut-bred artist blends the roots of contemporary, post-Y2K R&B with elements of gospel, soul, and modern pop music, packaged with a harmony-driven finish and cool demeanor that harkens back to the days when singers were the smoothest people on earth. After finding initial success from a Shade Room re-post, France parlayed that buzz into Millions of streams on tracks such as “ThisVibeAin’tForEveryBody,” “Gud,” “Baby,” and smash hit “Leg Day,” which continues to dominate TikTok. To capitalize on his rise, his first release on Def Jam, Rhythm N Backwoods Szn II, acts as a sneak preview of his abilities before he unleashes the culmination of everything he’s worked for. The EP serves as a precursor to prove he’s in the conversation as not just one of the best-rising acts in R&B, but an innovator of the genre who sounds like a breath of fresh air in a market dominated by down-tempo and moody music.