djzyonseven
I love classic R&B.
That’s never changing.
Those voices, those arrangements, those real instruments and grown folks lyrics built the foundation of my musical life.
But let me be completely honest.
I love some of this current music too.
My ears didn’t stop working in 1999. 😂🎧
And one of my favorite newer artists is Tems.
I’ve loved her since the first time I heard that voice.
It’s distinctive, unique and almost haunting, but in the best possible way.
Her voice doesn’t simply float over a track.
It settles into the music, finds the emotional center and pulls something out of you. ❤️
Higher and Free Mind were the first songs that introduced me to her.
Then she appeared on Wizkid’s Essence, and I had that song on repeat for a minute.
That was followed by Found with Brent Faiyaz, Wait for U with Future and Drake, Me & U, Love Me JeJe and Burning.
Tems has been building one hell of a catalog. 🔥
But this new joint, What You Need, hit me differently.
The song first appeared on her seven-track EP Love Is a Kingdom, released November 21, 2025.
It was officially issued as a standalone single on March 4, 2026.
Tems wrote it and produced it with frequent collaborator GuiltyBeatz.
After her stripped-down COLORS performance helped introduce it to an even wider audience, the song grew into a major American R&B hit.
It reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
Still, none of those numbers explains what the song did to me.
As soon as I heard the lyrics, I was right back inside my first relationship.
Tems sings about recognizing that a relationship is divided and finally admitting, “I’m not what you need.”
But it’s the way she sings it.
There’s pain in her voice, but there’s also acceptance.
She doesn’t sound angry.
She sounds like somebody who already knows the truth and is finally strong enough to say the quiet part out loud. 😮💨🖤
Her voice dug into memories and emotions I thought were long gone.
It’s funny how a lyric, a melody or one perfectly delivered note can unlock a room in your heart that you were certain had been closed for years. 🕰️💭
I thought I had completely moved beyond those feelings after meeting my husband.
And of course, I have moved forward.
This song didn’t make me want to go backward.
It reminded me of what I left behind so I could find something better, healthier and happier.
There’s a difference.
Sometimes remembering an old relationship isn’t about missing the person.
Sometimes it’s about recognizing the version of yourself who finally understood what he needed to walk away from.
That’s why I had What You Need on repeat, over the last few weeks.
Tems wasn’t reopening an old wound.
She’s reminding me that it healed because I made the right choice. 🎶
Some songs take you back because you miss where you were.
This one takes me back so I can appreciate how far I’ve come.
DJZ7
#TheSoundtrackOfWhoIBecame, #Tems, #WhatYouNeed, #LoveIsAKingdom, #ContemporaryRnB, #AlternativeRnB, #Afrobeats, #RnBMusic, #NewMusic, #MusicMemories, #HealingThroughMusic, #LoveAndGrowth
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