Tuesday means new ears. This week’s Who You Should Hear runs from Charlotte to Fayetteville to Toronto to London: two North Carolina rappers on their own terms, a young R&B singer who just dropped her debut album, and a British-Nigerian crooner who keeps showing up on the right songs.
MAVI (Charlotte, NC)
Who he is: MAVI was born in Sumter, South Carolina, and came up in Charlotte. He was a neuroscience major at Howard University when he dropped his debut album Let the Sun Talk in 2019, then left school once the music took off.
Start with: “Landgrab” featuring Earl Sweatshirt. Produced by Hollywood Cole, it was the two rappers’ first collab since 2019 and led into The Pilot, a 10-song, 24-minute project on Loma Vista that also pulls in Smino, MIKE and Kenny Mason.
Why you should hear him: Stereogum said MAVI sounds “really energetic and locked-in” on The Pilot, which arrived as he marked a year of sobriety. If you only know him as a dense, mumbled-behind-the-beat lyricist, this is the version that grabs you on the first listen.
Morray (Fayetteville, NC)
Who he is: Born in New York City and raised in Fayetteville, Morray broke out in 2020 with “Quicksand,” which reached No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. A year later he was on J. Cole’s “My Life” with 21 Savage, a No. 2 Hot 100 hit that went platinum.
Start with: Long Story Short, his 12-track 2025 project released through his own Morray Music imprint with EMPIRE. He told UPROXX it was “a revamp, a new Morray,” after J. Cole told him to scrap a lot of older material.
Why you should hear him: Morray left the major-label setup and bet on himself. His message is simple: “Every tribulation, every trial, you can have a triumph if you just keep going.” That kind of resilience is pure 910.
Find Long Story Short on YouTube
Luna Elle (Mississauga, Ontario)
Who she is: Luna Elle is a Canadian R&B and soul singer from Mississauga with a Ghanaian mother. Shaq once called her “next up” on Instagram, and she lists Beyoncé, Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy, Aaliyah, Sade and Toni Braxton as influences. She played the Billboard R&B LIVE showcase at NXNE in Toronto this summer.
Start with: “Lose Me,” a focus track from R.S.V.P., her 12-song debut album that dropped Friday. The title stands for Rhythm, Soul, Vulnerability and Passion, and Shae Universe guests on “Blame Me.”
Why you should hear her: If you miss ’90s and 2000s R&B that’s actually about love and heartbreak, this is your lane. A debut album week is the perfect time to get in early.
Odeal (London, UK)
Who he is: Odeal was born in Germany to Igbo Nigerian parents, grew up between Spain, the UK and Awka, Nigeria, and is now based in London. He runs his own OVMBR collective and signed with LVRN in 2024. In 2025 he won Best R&B/Soul Act and Best Newcomer at the MOBO Awards and was named Billboard’s African Rookie of the Year.
Start with: “Soh-Soh,” the 2024 TikTok hit that reached No. 12 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Then go to “You’re Stuck” with Summer Walker. And this past Friday he jumped on a new version of Mannywellz’s “cry on you.”
Why you should hear him: He’s the bridge between Afrobeats and American R&B right now. He’s already worked with Summer Walker, Leon Thomas and Stormzy, so you might as well catch up before the next big feature lands.
Sources
- MAVI, Wikipedia
- Stereogum: MAVI shares The Pilot
- Stereogum: MAVI “Landgrab” feat. Earl Sweatshirt
- Morray, Wikipedia
- UPROXX: Morray on Long Story Short
- Complex: Luna Elle interview
- NXNE 2026: Luna Elle
- Sway’s Universe: Luna Elle’s R.S.V.P.
- Odeal, Wikipedia
- Remixd Magazine: New Music Friday, Oct. 23
