Houston-based psych rock trio Khruangbin — which means airplane in Thai — are beloved for their globally flavored, luxuriously spacious brand of psych rock. Much of Khruangbin's music is instrumental, laden with funky-yet-chill bass licks, reverb-drenched guitar, calm yet precise drumming and plenty of room to breathe; you could certainly take flight with a spin of any of their four albums.

Guitarist Mark Speer, bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and drummer Donald "DJ" Johnson Jr. found inspiration in cassettes of '60s and '70s era Thai funk bands who fused surf rock with their native folk songs. They'd listen to these tapes while driving out to the countryside barn where they recorded the first album, 2015's The Universe Smiles Upon You. Leisurely unhurriedness, space to roam and underappreciated global sounds with a Texas lilt — this is Khruangbin

As they've grown, Khruangbin has added more global influences to the mix, yet maintained a clearly identifiable sound — one that invites you in and reminds you to breathe deeper. Sophomore release Con Todo El Mundo brought in deeper funk and soul influences from the Mediterranean and Middle East, including the work of Iranian pop superstar Googoosh.

"To [simply] call us Thai funk is a great disservice to the people who made that music in the first place. We’re going to put whatever influence we like into the music. Otherwise, it’s boring," Speer told Bandcamp in 2018. "Funky drums, dub bass, melodic guitar, those are the only rules.”

Songs from Con Todo El Mundo were heard on popular TV shows including "Barry" and "The Blacklist," exposing Khruangbin to a whole new fanbase. Even Jay-Z and Barack Obama joined the fan club. "Texas Sun" with Leon Bridges, their biggest song to date, earned a coveted spot on the former President Barack Obama's 2020 Summer Playlist.

Khruangbin have been touring nearly nonstop since their debut album, and will perform at Coachella on both Sundays. Their live shows are a colorful sonic quilt, and so beloved that the band sold out three nights in a row at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

Their upcoming fourth album, A La Sala, due out April 5 on Dead Oceans, is a return to the band's beginnings: spacious, jammy tunes without any outside collaborators. Lead single "Love International" highlights Khruangbin's talent for expertly crafted, soothing instrumentals that invite listeners into a dreamlike space.

Much like the rare global tunes they found inspiration in, Khruangbin is just waiting to be discovered. And once you do, you're hooked and ready to swim in their calming waters. Ahead of A La Sala, take a listen to five essentials from Khruangbin's extensive catalog to get a taste of their unique, inviting sound.

"White Gloves" (2015)

"White Gloves" is one of the trio's first songs with lyrics. The Universe Smiles Upon You track atop which Lee sings of a deceptively simple-yet-sad story of a queen who wore white gloves and died in a fight.

Speer's dreamy, echoing guitar and Johnson's slow-and-steady drumbeat paired with Lee's delicately funky bass, oohs and ethereal vocals make this track feel heavenly and light. Close your eyes and listen to the song's mournful tones, and imagine that perhaps the band is singing in heaven as the queen wanders the clouds with her clean white gloves.

"Maria También" (2017)

The lead single on Con Todo El Mundo, "Maria También" goes full vintage surf rock with a rollicking bassline that vaguely recalls the Surfaris 1963 hit "Wipe Out." They add flourishes of handclaps, bells and sneaky yeahs. It's perhaps one of the band's most driving, urgent tunes — definitely the most so on this album, which was dedicated to Lee's Mexican-American grandfather. 

One of the band's goals on the album was to channel the energy and sound of the outdoor music festivals they'd been playing. "The kick drum is more present in the mix, it drives people to dance,” Johnson told Bandcamp. On "Maria También," the banging kick and jubilant festival energy are fully present.

And in the music video for "Maria También," the trio nods to the Iranian pop influences on the song and album by featuring the many women artists who thrived in Iran prior to the revolution in 1979 but were pushed out by it.

"Time (You and I)" (2020)

This joyful lead single from 2020's Mordechai offers a taste of Khruangbin's more upbeat and vocal side. On it, Lee poetically muses: "That's life / If we had more time / We could live forever," a fitting anthem for the newly locked-down world it came out in. 

Towards the end of the nearly six-minute track, they repeat "That's life" in a variety of languages, a very Khruangbin statement in itself. There's a little bit of jingly cowbell on "Maria También," and here we're gifted with more cowbell flourishes, touches of synth and a healthy dose of funk.

"Doris" with Leon Bridges (2022)

"Doris" is a tender, heartfelt tune dedicated to Leon Bridges' grandmother, from Khruangbin's second collaborative EP, Texas Moon. It's also a great example of the way the band uses space as a powerful tool within their music. 

Here, minimalist instrumentation and a slow, mellow beat allows Bridges' rich voice to shine. In conversation with GRAMMY.com in 2020, Johnson and Bridges compare "Doris" and "Father Father" — another touching and spacious Texas Moon track — to the chopped and screwed sounds of '90s Houston hip-hop.

"It is so slow. And it leaves so much space. The listener is waiting for the next thing to happen within the song," Johnson said of "Doris." "I think that's something that you can really take advantage of, being from Texas and from the South and understanding chopped and screwed culture and that it's okay for things to be slow. It's okay to wait for stuff. I think it goes with the whole Southern way of life, how people slow cook food down here. When my people barbecue, they start the day before. And I take all of that mindset into the music."

"Lobbo" with Vieux Farka Touré (2022)

On 2022 collaborative album Ali, the Texas trio worked with Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist Vieux Farka Touré for a moving tribute to his late father and legendary GRAMMY-winning West African guitarist, Ali Farka Touré, reimagining his music. Khruangbin's playing fits so perfectly with Vieux's haunting voice, languid guitar and the "desert blues" Ali Farka Touré created, it's almost surprising they didn't write these songs together. On the second track, "Lobbo," we get spacious, bluesy guitars and Lee echoing and amplifying Touré's voice for a beautiful, almost mournful tune.

Ali was Khruangbin's most recent studio album, which was followed with a string of live albums, so A La Sala marks a return to where they began, just the three of them jamming together. Yet with them, they bring the influences of their travels and newly discovered records of the world, adding new flavor, wisdom and flourishes to their sound.

Leon Bridges & Khruangbin's DJ Johnson Talk Magic Of New EP 'Texas Moon,' Bringing The Church & Houston Hip-Hop Into Their Music

The first edition of Primavera Sound Los Angeles wrapped up on Sept.18, after three vibey days of perfect, late summer cool weather at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

The beloved Barcelona music festival, which celebrated its 20th edition back home in June, also hosts annual fests in other cities in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The festival's first North American venture featured a stacked gender-equal lineup headlined by Lorde, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys.

A decent number of artists at Primavera L.A. had also played in Barcelona, but the much smaller footprint of the Los Angeles festival made getting around and catching everyone you wanted to see a lot easier. The festival was packed with exciting fun sets, but read on for eight of the best sets from Primavera Los Angeles.

Mitski | Lyndsey Byrnes for Primavera Sound L.A.

A Theatrical Mitski Brings Bedroom Pop To Life

Alt-pop darling Mitski is beloved with her emotional, honest "sad girl" power pop songs about heartbreak and loss. She brought the drama of her music to life, energetically traversing the stage with leaps and theatrical hand motions. The stage setup was simple, with a white door behind her and her band — it felt like a fantasy recreation of a high school bedroom, the place where poems, love letters and tearful diary entries are crafted, and cathartic solo dance moves are made across the floor. Mitski even rocked a silk PJ top and bike shorts.

For "Me and My Husband," her dance moves entailed miming putting long gloves on over and over, and at the end of the song, she pretended to choke herself. For 2014 track "Townie," she ran around the stage as she sang, slowing down at the end to hold and hug herself. After closing with "A Pearl" from 2018's Be the Cowboy, she ended with one last drama school move, a bow.

PinkPantheress Channels 2000 (Even Though She Was Born in 2001)

Twenty-one-year-old PinkPantheress, who channels '90s / '00 U.K. garage and drum 'n bass into short pop bops, got big through TikTok. The Gen Z representation was strong at her Friday afternoon set, loudly cheering her on from the quarantined under-21 section to the side of the stage. But the over-21 turnout was also strong, and PinkPantheress and her DJ got everyone dancing.

PinkPantheress came out looking like a 2004 teen that just came from the mall, rocking a hot pink Diesel long-sleeveT-shirt and brown asymmetrical skirt, complete with short-strap purse and frameless shades. Her warm and funny banter made it feel like we were at the mall with our friends — except maybe more like a secret all-ages rave in the parking lot.

The highlights of the energetic, smile-inducing set included her dedicating "Nineteen" to the 19-year-olds, her cover of the classic 2000 U.K. garage hit "Flowers," and when she stopped the music to say hi to her fan Alan, who screamed into her mic at her May L.A. show. (She later jumped down into the crowd and Alan got an encore scream. Beautiful.)

Stereolab Perfectly Soundtracks The Sunset

British group Stereolab have been making synthy, experimental alt-pop since the early '90s, and while they're influenced by various decades of pop, their records truly transcend time and space. The sun was just beginning to set on day one of the fest, and Stereolab (whose four members look like cool music teachers who each own an amazing vinyl collection) channeled that dreamy setting with their music.

“This is 'Reflections,' an ode to the realm of possibilities remaining open rather than closed,” lead singer Laetitia Sadier announced right as the sun dipped out of view behind the stage. The next couple tracks were a bit more noisy, upbeat and rock-y, and the crowd was fully immersed in their layered sounds. They closed with two of their biggest songs, "Pack Ur Romantic Mind," and "French Disko."

Lorde | Ismael Quintanilla III for Primavera Sound L.A.

Lorde Casts A Spell For Endless Summer

Lorde's Friday closing set was both a powerhouse pop production and an intimate moment. The first day of the fest was joyfully not crowded, so fans were able to gather close as Lorde delivered her ode to summer and mother nature, chatting from atop an epic ladder-to-heaven on stage. The ladder leaned against a big circle, and they rotated around the stage, with a large sun-like orb of changing hues on the screen behind. Her band stood on either side in matching mustard-colored suits, while the New Zealander donned her summer best: a cute black bra top with big puffy sleeves, black mesh pants and long blonde hair.

“I’m really happy to be here,” Lorde announced after several songs. "Especially playing here, outside at the end of summer…you might know I'm kind of obsessed with summer," she continued with a smile. "I don’t know if you have a crush here tonight, but I came down here from the mountain to unite all the potential lovers,” she said before performing "The Louvre" from Melodrama. Next up was "Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All)”and "Mood Ring" from her 2021 album dedicated to the healing power of the sun, Solar Power. This was followed by an amazing cover of Bananarama's 1983 hit "Cruel Summer."

She also put out a call for action to combat the climate crisis, hinting that she already knew what her fourth album was about. Closing her set with "Solar Power," Lorde cast a spell to let the summer vibes last a little longer. “This song was written in a wet bikini, in late July after a long day at the beach…. I want to preserve that feeling, so wherever you are you can feel that." With a wide smile, she continued, "They say it’s almost fall, but don’t let them trick you…it’s still my season."

Georgia Is A One-Woman Dance Party Machine

The sun was shining again on Saturday, and British dance pop artist Georgia got temperatures rising as she commanded the stage with her electronic drum kit and synth. She started with Seeking Thrills' opening track "Started Out," going into "Never Let You Go" and "Ray Guns" from her infectious 2020 album.

Her energy was invigorating, as she sang, drummed, danced and commanded the stage. While Georgia was jet-lagged, she told the audience at her first-ever L.A. festival that they were giving her the energy she needed — but it was definitely a mutual exchange.

She played three new unreleased songs, and shared that she's been working with Rostam, who was somewhere in the crowd and would be mortified that she was touting him as the best producer in the city of Angels. Her "babes" came out to assist on guitar for one of the Rostam-produced tracks. She closed with a cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" — while that song is very rinsed at the moment, it felt fresh and resonated with the crowd.

Khruangbin | Pooneh Ghana for Primavera Sound L.A.

Khruangbin Expands Time With Their Jams

Houston psychedelic rockers Khruangbin jammed for an hour on the mainstage as the sky darkened above. The set went by quickly but was expansive, as they riffed on familiar rhythms that knitted their songs into one large, cozy sonic quilt. The trio looked cool as hell on stage with Donald “DJ” Johnson in a cowboy hat, Laura Lee in thigh-high leopard print boots and a matching dress, and Mark Speer in a black and silver geometric-patterned suit. DJ and his drums were elevated and there were two giant disco balls on stage, which the visuals on screen offered trippy renderings of the groovy action.

After running off to the bathroom in the middle of their set and briefly listening from afar, I joked that I wasn't sure if I'd missed one or seven songs, but both were kind of true. They expanded each track and carried it into the next, like a jam band or DJ set. I think we all could've jammed on for several more hours with them.

Nine Inch Nails Penetrate Our Souls

For day two's headline set, the disco balls were removed and the crowd packed the main stage, patiently waiting for Nine Inch Nails to rock them. Before they'd even begun, security stopped letting fans in to avoid overcrowding, and a line formed to let people in as space allowed. The flashing lights began and Trent Reznor appeared in a triangle of light and smoke. Soon, the light expands to reveal the rest of the band, and they break into 1999's "Somewhat Damaged."

The next 70 minutes were a full-on assault of light and a wall of sound. There was no way to escape the emotions rattling through your body as the layered bass, synth, guitar, drums and growls shook everything to the surface. The band worked like a well-oiled machine, effortlessly performing their intricate music with precision and energy.

Reznor shared that they'd really enjoyed playing at Primavera Sound in Barcelona a few years back, so they said yes when they were asked to play what was supposed to be Primavera L.A. 2020: "Finally, here the f— we are.”

They played tracks from across their extensive catalog, including "Closer," "The Hand That Feeds," "Head Like A Hole" and "Hurt," ending with the latter three. "Hurt," famously covered by Johnny Cash, was the only moment of relative quiet during the set, allowing for Reznor's lyrics to really sink in.

Bicep | Quinn Tucker for Primavera Sound L.A.

Bicep Create An Immersive Rave Rainbow

Belfast producer duo BICEP create immersive, dreamy electronic soundscapes, and their live show ups the immersion with lasers, bright lights and flashes of color. While their set overlapped with Nine Inch Nails, it luckily continued on for 45 minutes after the rockers ended their wall of sound. As I ran from one wall of sound and lights to the next, from rock to rave, the synths and lights at each tying nicely — and surprisingly — together.

As the two childhood friends faced each other and delivered their expansive dancefloor sound with big energy and extra flourishes. They saved an extended version of their massive 2017 track, “Glue,” for second-to-last, as the lasers erupted into two rainbows shooting out over the crowd, the smoke dancing in its light and casting trippy, liquidy shapes. A tall guy in the crowd jumped up to touch the rainbow laser magic, just barely missing.

CHAI = CUTE!

Part of the description on J-pop group CHAI's Spotify bio reads: "With lyrics focused on 'women empowerment' and redefining the definition of 'kawaii,' or cute in Japanese," and they brought their high energy girl power, fun and cuteness to the last afternoon of Primavera L.A. Rocking the stage in coordinating pink-and-white outfits topped with big, frilly, rainbow-print capes, CHAI filled their 40 minute set with pure energy and joy, leaving the crowd captivated and asking for more.

After two songs, they "interrupted" their live performance for a mini DJ set led by the drummer and keyboardist, a high energy mix that included Hardrive's "Deep Inside," Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman," and Spice Girls' "Wannabee." For the latter song, the quartet came to the front to sing along and dance with fluffy pink-fitted fans, getting the audience to shout out "CHAI!" and "Yesss!" CHAI, YES is exactly how I felt about them in this moment and now forever more. They continued with a few more of their songs, closing with "N.E.O," which had the audience screaming the English words and jumping along.

James Blake Wishes Primavera L.A. Godspeed

As the Arctic Monkeys rocked the main stage and Detroit techno wizard Jeff Mills captivated the dance music stage, British-born, L.A.-based James Blake offered his angelic vocals to soothe the rest of us. He opened with an early track of his, "Unluck," into 2020's "Before" and "Limit to Your Love," which was originally recorded by Feist.

Blake asked the crowd to sing the chorus of  "Say What You Will” — from his latest 2021 album, Friends That Break Your Heart — imploring the audience to sing louder to compete with Mills and the Arctic Monkeys. For another track from the 2021 album, "Frozen," he brought out one of its featured rappers, Atlanta's SwaVay, who brought the energy with his OutKast-nodding flow. (Blake shared that the rapper had a new, great album coming out soon.)

After a few more songs, the "Retrograde" singer closed with his cover of Frank Ocean's gut-wrenching "Godspeed," which he co-produced.

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Some collaborations are so natural and sound so perfect together, that it's hard to imagine them not happening. That's definitely the case for Texan musicians Khruangbin and Leon Bridges, who released their second collab EP, Texas Moon, on Feb. 18.

Moon follows 2020’s Texas Sun, an EP which the quartet of musicians had hoped would be a full album. Two years later, listeners get to finally experience the full range of songs from the Khruangbin-Bridges original first sessions — including Bridges' moving tribute to his grandma, "Doris," as well as newer creations, like "Mariella."

Khruangbin (consisting of bassist Laura Lee, guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald "DJ" Johnson) and Bridges first connected in 2018, when the mostly instrumental Houston band toured with the soulful Fort Worth singer/songwriter as an opening act. Bridges was already a fan of Khruangbin’s atmospheric, global sound, and would sing lyrics over their music whenever he listened — including on the side of the stage while they performed. Lee noticed and sent Bridges a demo, and the rest was history.

As the singer tells GRAMMY.com, their collab was "honestly just seamless. There was nothing hard about it…. Everything about working with Khruangbin was just liberating."

Read on for a lively conversation between Bridges and Johnson about Texas Moon and Texas Sun, their love for the music of their home state, and more.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Leon Bridges: I first heard Khruangbin's music on a video shoot. I was just totally enamored with their sound. And like so many other singers, you have no other choice but to sing lyrics over [the music], so even before I met them, I would write little melodies and lyrics to their songs. I think it's amazing we were able to do a collaboration.

In 2018, I embarked on a Good Thing tour, and management was like, "Have you heard of Khruangbin? We've been thinking about having them open." And I was like, "Hell yeah!" It was the perfect tour. If I could co-headline with them for the rest of my career, then I would be totally fine. There was a night in Montana, when Laura Lee sent me a tune that they had been working on. Right before I got on stage, I went in GarageBand and wrote a couple of lyrics over it, sent it back and that's kind of what sparked our collab.

GRAMMY.com: What has it felt like when y'all collaborate together?

Bridges: It's honestly just seamless. There was nothing hard about it. When I'm in other sessions, the ones I have to do for “the machine,” it's a little rough because you have so many ideas being tossed around and a little bit of ego — totally understandable. Everything about working with Khruangbin was just liberating, to not have to adhere to a certain type of formula, to just to get in and just do what we do. And Texas Sun, Texas Moon, are a result of that.

Donald "DJ" Johnson: For me, working with Leon is a treat. I put him in a special category of artists that have a very unique voice. When you hear Leon, you know it's Leon; no one else sounds like him and he doesn't sound like anyone else. And as a producer myself, that opportunity [to work with a singer like that] doesn't come around very often. I think the last time I was afforded that opportunity was when I worked with Slim, the lead singer of 112.

It's really something special that happens when you sit down in the studio and you see an artist like Leon get behind the mic….It's magic immediately. There's not a lot that can go wrong with a special voice like that.

Bridges: That's love, man. Initially when we went in, we worked on the song that sparked the whole thing. And I think during that time we did "B-Side" and, after that session, I grabbed a guitar because I was trying to impress Mark Speer. [Chuckles.] I started playing a couple tunes and it was just really rad how you reacted to what I was playing — the minor chord progression of [Christian hymn] "At the Cross." I remember you going straight to the piano and playing out the chords and pulling out the mic. Man, it was just magical how everything unfolded [to create the Texas Sun closer, "Conversion"].

Johnson: I remember that. I grew up in a very small Missionary Baptist Church on the north side of Houston, which I still attend every Sunday when I'm home; I play organ there. But every second Sunday we have communion, and usually we sing that song. To hear it coming from Leon's voice...playing it flipped in a minor harmonization — it's true, I literally tripped over my feet to get to the piano to play along.  Hearing it in that way, in an entirely new approach was crazy.

Bridges: Wow. It's wild because, when I went on my songwriting path, "Conversion" was the first one that I wrote. I'm happy that it finally found a home. It's funny, I wrote that before I started playing guitar. I used to go to Bandcamp and download random beats. Right before I went in to work, I was in the car and turned on the beat and just started flowing. The initial way it sounded was totally different from what it turned into.

Johnson: Yeah, that turn around too, "And now I'm happy all the day." Whoa, chills. There's a thing that happens when you're singing in church and a particular line can just kind of go by. And it's something special that happens when you repeat it over and over again, it gives you a chance for the words to really impact you and hit home. The fact that it's being repeated makes you really think about what you're saying.

When you sang "Now I'm happy all the day," after saying everything else you said up to that point, to repeat that over and over, it creates a sense of joy in your heart. It's a really, really uplifting thing that happened at the end of that record. It's one of the most, if not the most proud, I am of a record I've been a part of.

Bridges: "Conversion" is such a poignant tune, that's definitely my favorite. But the fans gravitate towards the more pop tunes.

Johnson: I knew what it was going in. I was like, "This is gonna be one of those sleeper cuts, they'll get it later." We will be old and gray and someone's going to pull that out and be like, "Wow, this happened."

GRAMMY.com: Do either of you think about how future generations will think of your music? Like, when we listen to Stevie Wonder's albums from the '70s.

Johnson: I'm always thinking about that. Life is fleeting; you don't know when your last time to make music or when your last day on this earth will be. I think if everyone made music like that, music would sound a bit different. Not everything is that serious song where you have to pour out all your feelings; sometimes you just want to party and have a good time. And if that's also the last thing people hear from you, that's a good thing. But yeah, I'm always forward-thinking.

It's funny you said Stevie; I was listening back to Songs in the Key of Life recently. Lyrically and musically, what Stevie was on back then, for it to last and still be effective 50 years later, that says it all. When you're doing something real from the heart, it'll last. Especially now, if you want things to stick around and you're honest with what you're making, I think you can achieve that.

Bridges: Yeah. For me, making music is therapeutic. And in that, I hope to make timeless music and music that transcends, and I just keep my head down about it. I think it's beautiful that my demographic is a wide spectrum of ages and that my music, our music, speaks to people [in] that way. I hope that it will last forever.

Johnson: That's another thing I appreciate about Leon; I don't think a lot of people know how well rounded he is or how cultured Leon is as an artist. I discovered that he listens to a lot of the same stuff that I listen to. There's a lot of questions I want to ask Leon:

What was it like in the DFW area when [Dorrough Music’s 2009 single] "Ice Cream Paint Job" hit?

Bridges: Man. I was so disconnected from it in a way. It was one of those records where if you were immersed in the nightlife, you was lit. I couldn't go to a club, really. [Laughs.] And then I got saved and was super Christian, so you for sure wouldn't catch me in a club. I did catch the tail end of that whole movement when I was pursuing dance in college, when some of my homies put me on to the music.

It's the same way that Memphis and New Orleans have their own sound and dance culture, that's a piece of Dallas. That whole style, I incorporate it live. It's wild because a lot of the heads don't know where it comes from. [Laughs.]

Johnson: He did for me, for Texas. When I watched him perform and in the middle of a song he stopped singing and hit some D-Town Boogie onstage in Seattle. I think it's really special that he's able to take those things about where he's from and take it all around the world. All overseas, doing the D-Town Boogie, I never thought I would see that. I really salute you for taking Dallas-Fort Worth and putting it on the map in that way, and taking the culture with you.

Bridges: We all get homesick when we're on the road. I'm still processing even having success in music. So it's those little bits of nostalgia that I can cling to and that's all it is really. I think that's why we work together so well, our love for chopped and screwed music and R&B. There was a time I only wanted to hear the chopped and screwed version of an R&B song. [Now], if you gave me a guitar and you held a gun to my head and said, "Write a fast song or you're out of here," I'm just gonna die. I'm out. [Chuckles.] I can't do it! You look at Texas Moon and man, "Doris," "Father, Father," that's that slow and low-end type music.

Johnson: "Doris" almost sounds like it could have been a song that was faster and we slowed it down. It almost sounds like that because it's so slow and intentional. There's so much space.

Bridges: There's so many nuances in there, but "Doris" is like "Diamonds & Wood," UGK; I hear Pimp C.

Johnson: It's so slow. And it leaves so much space. The listener is waiting for the next thing to happen within the song. I think that's something that you can really take advantage of, being from Texas and from the South and understanding chopped and screwed culture and that it's okay for things to be slow. It's okay to wait for stuff. I think it goes with the whole Southern way of life, how people slow cook food down here. When my people barbecue, they start the day before. And I take all of that mindset into the music. It's all art; music, food, it's all connected.

GRAMMY.com: Leon, did you grow up singing?

Bridges: Kind of. I found one of my journals from when I was in elementary, and I don't know why I don't remember any of this, but I wrote "When I grow up, I want to be a singer." When I was 3, my dad taught me and he's good at singing. I never really sang in church or anything, but I always sang along to the music. I never really thought I had a good voice until I got to college and in my downtime, I would get together with some friends on campus and do these little jam sessions. We'd all take turns freestyle singing, and when I would do my thing, some of the people would tell me like, “You kind of got something there.” So that kind of gave me the fuel to keep going.

I actually wanted to be a dancer, to pursue choreography. I had aspirations to hopefully be dancing with Usher or something like that. [Chuckles.] But I found music.

GRAMMY.com: What about you DJ, when did you start drumming?

Johnson: I started drums when I was 2 or 3 years old. My uncle John Foster plays drums. He played at my grandmother's church back in the '80s. He's a flashy drummer, which is what attracted me to them as a kid. I actually quit drums later in life, because there's so many dope drummers in Houston that there's just really no point playing.

And Khruangbin was my full circle moment, to come back to my original instrument. I had hung it up; I started playing keys and bass. I was getting more work in Houston doing gigs on keys and bass. No one ever called me for drums because no one really knew I played. When Mark and Laura decided to start Khruangbin, we were hanging out every week. Mark knew I played because he played at church with me and I would hop on drums every now and then to just mess around. It was his idea to say, "Hey, let's get DJ to play drums" and that was my red carpet back to the drum set. I'm grateful for it.

Life has a funny way of sometimes leading you back to where you started. I never thought I'd be a drummer touring the world in a band making records with Leon Bridges.

GRAMMY.com: What did you each learn from working together on Texas Moon and Texas Sun?

Johnson: Working with Leon makes you appreciate things happening in the moment. It made me be more attentive and sensitive, listening to what's going on around you. Because if you're not listening, or if you're not always tuned in, you may miss it.

A lot of these songs in the Texas Sun, Texas Moon sessions were birthed from Leon sitting with our engineer Steve Christensen and bouncing files or creating stems, and Leon just has a guitar and starts singing. And whenever Leon would start noodling around on the guitar, Steve would put a microphone in front of the guitar and Leon to make sure he's capturing all of these little moments that were happening. If it had been any other studio session I've been in the past, those moments probably just would have flown by; no one's capturing it, no one's hearing the genius within that moment or the possibilities.

But for us, they were like concerts. Leon Bridges picks up a guitar, with this beautiful vocal tone, with these amazing lyrics. So, we're all just sitting back, captivated and listening. It really made me keep my ears open, and listen to the possibilities of what could be. A lot of those moments are what inevitably turned into songs on this project.

Bridges: I was a fan before meeting y'all, so the moment when we got to sit down and jam was super special. And I learned from all of this that honest music is always going to thrive. Initially, the powers that be felt it wasn't a strong enough album. And it's nuts that, "Texas Sun," next to "River," one of my biggest songs. Each album [of mine] is a different character and sound, but working with Khruangbin, I wanted to take everything back to the basics and let the focal point be the songs and to surround those songs with minimal instrumentation. So, I gained family and good music.

GRAMMY.com: I wanted to talk a little bit more about "Doris," the song itself, and, Leon, if you'd like to speak about your grandmother and creating the sonic tribute to her?

Bridges: I just wanted to honor my grandmother. And honestly, I never got to really spend too much time with her, but I saw my father experience her passing. I'm constantly searching for new song ideas, and I came into the studio and had this bare bones baseline vibe on a guitar. And it was just, wow, to hear how Khruangbin interpreted that tune. I was just totally impressed how it all came together.

Johnson: When I heard what was going on lyrically — and knowing that Leon was writing the song from his father's perspective of watching his mother transition — it's just one of those things where, musically, I just wanted to stay out of the way. It's how much can we pull back and make it as much about this very sensitive moment, and hopefully we did that.

GRAMMY.com: What does Texas sound like to you? And how do you sort of relate to that, or incorporate that in your projects?

Bridges: Texas music is a wide spectrum of sounds, but there's some specific elements that I associate with Texas. And for me, it's the song, it's the twang. It's blues. You know, R&B is blues. And so, in a world where every sound has been exhausted, I just try to find that uncharted territory within R&B. There's a lot of R&B musicians that live in Texas, but some artists don't see the importance of incorporating some of those country and blues elements in the music. Juxtaposing that with a more modern sound is something that you rarely see, so I feel like we're representing Texas well.

Johnson: You can't really nail Texas music down. Texas is Steve Escobar Jordan, the Tejano artist. It's Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, Lil' Keke, Zero, Yella Beezy. Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Scott, Kruangbin, Vanilla Ice — I could go on. You can't really put Texas music in a box.

A lot of times, when you say Texas music, people automatically zero in to what's happening more or less in Austin, what you would hear on Sixth Street — Texas blues artists or singer/songwriters. Artists like Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, that's what people usually associate with Texas, but it's just as much that as it is ZZ Top. I think all of those people in some way, shape, form or fashion influence you just by being here. Being from the state influences how you approach things and how you make music, even culturally.

One of the biggest questions that Khruangbin would get in interviews early on, from people that were not from Houston or Texas, was "How did you guys meet?" That's a thinly veiled way of asking, "How the hell did you end up with this Black guy in your band? You don't look like you belong together." We travel around a lot, and the three of us will walk into a restaurant, and it'll be like "Table for two?"

It's funny because we don't look like we roll together. I think that's the biggest part about Texas is we all roll together. And that's how we ended up in the same band making music together. We all hang out. I don't think we get as much credit as we should for being as culturally diverse as we are down here, especially in this part of the South.

GRAMMY.com: Is there anything else that you want to ask each other?

Johnson: Leon, what are you listening to right now, what are you jamming to?

I love Gunna by the way. We've been doing interviews all week, and Leon brought up JAY[-Z] and Gunna. It did surprise me that you listen to Gunna.

Bridges: Man. I’ve been digging that cat Dijon. He's dope, a dope songwriter. His music kind of has that kind of minimal approach we've been talking, that marriage of twang and folk and R&B.

Johnson: I was listening to him back with the older stuff he came out with, like "Speed It Up." I just like the approach. His cadence on that record was rhythmic in a way, it's very creative to me.

Bridges: His delivery and his sound are so soulful to me. He's another one that uses that space.

Bridges: What's your favorite food spot in Houston?

Johnson: That's tough. It depends what I'm in the mood for, honestly. Did you go to Nancy's when you were here?

Bridges: Bro, I was about to say Nancy's Hustle! When I go to Houston, I'm either kickin' it with y'all, or I'm at The Flat, or I'm at Nancy's or I'm at Mr. Rogers.

Johnson: I think you went to Xochi too.

Bridges: Yes! I love that place. I always run into Mark and Laura over there.

GRAMMY.com: Leon, what does it mean to you for Gold-Diggers Sound to be nominated for the Best R&B Album GRAMMY this year?

Bridges: It's humbling. Specifically within the R&B realm, there's so many people making music, so for my album to even be included in all that is wild. I take none of this for granted. I think the beautiful thing about Gold-Digger Sound is it definitely gave me more visibility within the Black space. That's one of the things I understand that you have to put in the work to get into that world, and [I did it] making something that was honest.

Watch: Leon Bridges On Recording “Coming Home”

Anyone who's still asking if R&B is "dead" in 2021 just isn't paying attention. Not only did R&B singers enjoy record-breaking success this year, but the genre also became more intertwined with mainstream music than ever before.

In charting accolades, Summer Walker clenched her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with her second album, Still Over It. The 20-song LP also broke the Apple Music record for the most album streams in a single day by a female artist and became the highest-charting album by a woman R&B singer since Beyoncé's 2016 masterpiece, Lemonade. Meanwhile, An Evening with Silk Sonic, the debut album of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars' superduo Silk Sonic, entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 2 and also became .Paak's first No. 1 album on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Sonically, artists like KIRBY advanced the sound of modern soul on her Sis. He Wasn't the One EP, and Ty Dolla $ign and dvsn led the '90s R&B revival through some clever samples. R&B continued to grow and change this year, with innovative newcomers incorporating new sonic influences and R&B legends reminding fans why the genre will always live on.

From Trap&B to the return of girl groups, read on for eight trends that emerged in R&B music this year.

Trap&B

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Lil Tjay and 6LACK hit the perfect combination of R&B and trap music with their melodic collaboration, "Calling My Phone." Soulful R&B feels and sparse trap production has been a popular pairing since the 2010's, but the two artists turned the trend into a major win. Along with being certified double platinum, "Calling My Phone" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 — an all-time high for both Tjay and 6LACK — and took the No. 1 spots on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Songs and Streaming Songs charts.

As "Calling My Phone" suggests, the genre-blurring combo of R&B and trap is here to stay. "Woo Baby," the Chris Brown-featuring single from Pop Smoke's second posthumous album Faith, melded the genres with a sample of Nelly's 2005 song "So Sick," and modernized trap production. Yung Bleu also captured the crossover with his long-awaited debut album, Moon Boy.

Return of the '90s

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Many '90s trends made triumphant returns in this year’s fashion and culture, and R&B was no exception. On their collaboration "Memories," Ty Dolla $ign and singer/producer duo dvsn (Daniel Daley and Nineteen85) sampled Silk's "Freak Me," adding their own updated spin to the 1993 bedroom hit. With nostalgic production by 40 and Nineteen85 and steamy lines from Ty and Daley, "Memories" demonstrates how the decade is still a major influence on R&B.

Cardi B and Normani also struck gold with a '90s sampling, using Aaliyah's 1996 classic "One in a Million" on their hit collaboration, "Wild Side." Similarly, a sample of Montell Jordan's 1999 song, "Get It On Tonite" crept its way onto Mahalia's dreamy offering, "Whenever You’re Ready."

Modern Soul

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KIRBY breathed new life into classic soul with her 10-song EP, Sis. He Wasn't the One. Incorporating impressive falsetto, the Memphis-born singer and songwriter modernized the nostalgic sound with cuts like "Lately" (featuring BJ The Chicago Kid) and "Boyz II Men," in which she shouts out her neo-soul predecessor Erykah Badu (“Badu tried to warn mе 'bout these Tyrones,” she sings before the final chorus).

Sis. He Wasn't the One was one of several contemporary soul records released this year — including Cleo Sol’s Mother, Phabo’s Soulquarius and Leon Bridges’ Gold-Diggers Sound — giving the stylish sound room to grow in 2022.

Girl Groups

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Girl groups used to be a staple in R&B, but VanJess and The Shindellas might just be bringing them back. While Chloe x Halle focused more on their solo careers this year, VanJess held it down for R&B sister duos, releasing their sophomore album, Homegrown. The Nigerian-American pair carved out their own lane in contemporary R&B, mixing nostalgic, '90s-leaning harmonies with an expansive production palette, which included everything from hip-hop to electronic beats. Meanwhile, Nashville-bred trio The Shindellas harkened back to classic R&B, blues and pop sounds on their debut album, Hits That Stick Like Grits.

Rap Collaborations

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While throwing a rap verse into a smooth R&B track can be polarizing for some, Summer Walker and City Girls’ J.T. proved that the formula can offer the best of both worlds. The pair’s unexpected mashup, "Ex For A Reason," puts Walker’s glossy voice over a punchy uptempo beat, with the song’s don’t-take-my-man narrative accented by J.T.’s fiery bars. Singer Joyce Wrice also mastered the rap/R&B crossover on her collab with veteran rapper Freddie Gibbs, "On One," the breakout track from her debut album, Overgrown.

Toxic Love Songs

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On their first-ever collaboration, Bryant Faiyaz and Drake continued the R&B trend of feigned indifference in love songs — a stark contrast to the gushing, romantic gestures that characterized the genre's early sound. On their Neptunes-produced track, the two crooners invite their quasi-partners to "waste their time" with them, but make sure not to come on too strong.

SZA also sang about toxic love on her re-released SoundCloud hit, "I Hate U," which broke Apple Music’s record for most-streamed R&B song by a female artist in its first week. Opting to emphasize her feelings rather than cloak them, the songstress used blunt, raw lyrics to further modernize the trend.

Funk Fusion

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The resurgence of funk and its inclusion in R&B records continued to grow as a trend this year, especially with the release of An Evening with Silk Sonic, the debut project from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s brilliant brainchild Silk Sonic. With production by GRAMMY-winning producer D'Mile and narration from funk legend Bootsy Collins, the nine-track LP boasted vintage soul and funk melodies that seem to be showing up more and more in retro-yet-contemporary R&B releases. Indiana five-piece Durand Jones & The Indications were also fueled by 70's funk this year, with their album Private Space calling back to the group’s classic influences, from the Isley Brothers to the Temptations.

R&B Legends Return

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Anthony Hamilton released his first album since 2016 this year, making a welcomed return for old-school R&B fans. His eighth studio album, Love Is The New Black, puts his soothing vocals on full display, even tying in the rap collaborations trend with guest appearances from Rick Ross and Lil Jon. While R&B was mostly dominated by newcomers in 2021, there was still a newfound sense of appreciation for genre greats.

Besides comeback releases, Swizz Beats and Timbaland’s webcast series Verzuz highlighted R&B legends. The viral showdown series saw the Isley Brothers battle Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan take on Stephanie Mills, and D’Angelo recruit H.E.R., Method Man and Redman — all introducing R&B staples to younger audiences and driving the nostalgia that powered several R&B hits this year.

2021 In Review: 8 Trends That Defined Rap

Editor's Note: The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 3, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The below article was updated on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to reflect the new show date and location.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. stresses a few company values in particular, but one feels especially timely right now: transparency. Hence, GRAMMY nominations will now be determined by a majority, peer-to-peer vote of Recording Academy voting members.

It's now more crucial than ever for voting members to get involved this year to make this system work and lend their support to fellow musicians and creators.

To cap off the window of First Round GRAMMY Voting, which determines the nominees for the annual GRAMMY Awards and this year runs from Friday, Oct. 22, to Friday, Nov. 5, Recording Academy voting members are taking to social media to express all the reasons why it's important to get out and vote for the upcoming 64th GRAMMY Awards.

If you're a Recording Academy voting member and need an extra burst of motivation to get involved in the process, check the #Vote4GRAMMYs hashtag on Instagram and Twitter and listen to firsthand testimonies from fellow Recording Academy members about the importance of GRAMMY Voting below.

Learn More: The 64th GRAMMY Awards: Everything You Need To Know About The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show & Nominations

In her message, GRAMMY-winning R&B singer/songwriter Monica expresses that the value of GRAMMY voting is twofold to her. 

"Voting for the GRAMMY Awards is not just important to me because I'm an artist; it's important to me because I'm a writer and composer," she says. "That means the most to you — to be acknowledged at the greatest height the music has to offer."

Taylor Hanson of "MMMBop" stars Hanson made a heartfelt video on the subject.

"The GRAMMYs is all about artists and music makers voting for projects they believe in," the three-time GRAMMY nominee says. "To me, it's a great way to highlight projects that should be recognized."

Heavy music is represented by way of Troy Sanders, a five-time GRAMMY nominee and the leader of GRAMMY-winning metal heroes Mastodon. "There's no one more qualified to recognize music's best than you," he says in an Instagram clip. "So, I encourage each of you to set some time aside and become as knowledgeable as you can."

A representative from the classical world has spoken up, too. As Deborah Pae, the cellist in the Formosa Quartet and a Governor of the Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter, puts it, "Voting allows us to make our voices heard, so this is our chance to advocate for artists that we feel are doing incredible work and are bringing something unique and important to the table."

Country singer/songwriter Lainey Wilson echoes Pae's sentiments, noting "the hours, the blood, the sweat, and the tears" that musical creatives pour into their art.

"Collaboration in music does not stop on the day it was created," Wilson stresses. "It truly is a nonstop collaborative effort in supporting each other, and one of the best ways to support other creators is through GRAMMY voting."

GRAMMY-winning soul singer/songwriter Leon Bridges contributed his own video to Instagram: "This is our opportunity to give back to some of the artists that shape our lives with their music," he says. "It's a moment to celebrate the producers and studio musicians and songwriters that really help bring these albums and songs to life."

Four-time GRAMMY-nominated salsa singer Víctor Manuelle also offers a passionate message about the importance of voting.

"Why is it important for me to vote for the GRAMMYs?" he asks in Spanish. "Because it gives me an opportunity to have a voice and to demand recognition of the music that represents us Latinos. We have a very big opportunity in our hands to decide which music we want to be awarded and nominated … So for me, it is very important to have a voice and a vote in the GRAMMYs."

And three-time GRAMMY-nominated Puerto Rican singer/songwriter Kany Garcia agrees.

"The artist sees the spotlight and is the center of attention, but there are all of those people behind the scenes that for years have been working to create a perfect, or almost perfect, sound in each of those songs," she says, also in Spanish. "That is why voting is important."

Last but certainly not least, GRAMMY-nominated Nigerian singer/songwriter Kah-Lo is right there with them.

"Make sure that who you feel should be recognized for their incredible work over the past year is honored the way they should be," she says. "Now, more than ever, everyone's voice counts because it's completely down to us. We have to do our part and make sure that after all this change, everything is worth it."

Keep checking back on GRAMMY.com and on the Recording Academy's social media channels for more important info and updates about GRAMMY voting and the upcoming 64th GRAMMY Awards!

64th GRAMMY Awards: Everything You Need To Know About First Round GRAMMY Voting