The term “alternative R&B” came with its criticisms via other artists pigeonholed by the label. Originally dubbed as “PBR&B” by music critic Eric Harvey as a joke, the sound being written off as hipster-friendly comes off as insensitive and reductive. To me, R&B has always pushed boundaries outside of its original conventions. This evolution is evident more now than ever: more left-field, genre-melding experimentation is being pushed by current musicians to create an almost genreless experience. Simply put, the music has always been more than just “alternative R&B.” 

Music is compelling when it’s sad. This is not news; it’s biology. Our brains are wired to associate emotion with sound, and the idea that we could go from happy to sad at the stir of a violin is...