Casey McQuillen’s single “Better” arrives not with a bang, but with the quiet, decisive click of a well-made lock securing a door. It’s pop music, certainly, groomed and gleaming, yet beneath the surface bubbles a fierce kind of self-possession that’s less about demanding attention and more about curating who gets past the velvet rope of your own contentment. Coming from someone known for empowerment...

Obi Alfred is bringing old R&B to a new audience and serving as a torchbearer for the genre. Born in New Jersey and bred in Texas, the Nigerian-American’s unique approach pays respect to the titans of the genre while pushing into daring, current terrain. Now, with the most captivating songs of his early career, Obi is establishing himself as one of the most significant emerging talents...