{
  "id": 2401189,
  "title": "Destin Conrad Is Taking Classic R&B Sounds in Fearless New Directions: ‘I’m Genre-less, Boundless’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/destin-conrad-is-taking-classic-r-b-sounds-in-fearless-new-directions",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/destin-conrad-rb-rising-star-interview-1236320206/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Destin Conrad, a 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Tampa, Florida, is pushing the boundaries of classic R&B with his innovative sound. The multi-talented artist blends alt-jazz, reggae, and other genres, describing his music as \"genre-less, boundless.\" Gradually gaining attention, Conrad recently released his debut album, Love on Digital, which received critical acclaim and earned him a Grammy Award nomination for best progressive R&B album. His next album, wHIMSY, arrived just four months later and debuted at No. 3 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. Conrad's soundscapes are characterized by his emotive vocals and alternative edge, captivating fans and earning him the support of big names like Kehlani and Janet Jackson.",
  "summary": "Billboard 's 2026 R&B Rising Star is winning critical acclaim — and major cosigns.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}