It's no secret that Kenyon Dixon loves soulful music. His version of "Bring it On Home to Me" — a Sam Cooke tribute, and a collaboration with PJ Morton, BJ The Chicago Kid and Charlie Bereal — even earned him a GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance this year.

In this episode of Press Play at Home, Dixon's penchant for old-school music is once again on full display — this time, in his own original song, "Hard Way," a track from his early 2021 LP, Expectations. An emotional, tender song featuring plenty of sultry vocal runs, the track encapsulates all the melodic earnestness of classic R&B, and Dixon keeps the throwback vibes going with the visual aesthetics of his performance.

Backed only by a guitar line, the singer performs in front of a circular doorway painted with brown-and-yellow rainbow stripes. The '70s vibe is very much alive, as the room around him also features shag carpet, a velvety armchair and a small, vintage-looking television set. 

Both in his music and in conversation, Dixon is a proud advocate for the return of R&B's traditional roots. In a 2022 interview with Rated R&B, he expounded on his passion for promoting his favorite kind of music.

"Anytime I'm talking about the world needing more R&B, it's my attempt at trying to amplify classic R&B and kill the conversation that nobody's doing it," he explained. 

Elsewhere in that interview, Dixon points to the release of his Expectations album as a cornerstone for his decision to keep flying the flag for the genre. "The response to Expectations let me know that people were still yearning for classic R&B. I wanted to be as intimate as possible in the R&B space, even getting closer to my fans and understanding what they love about [my music]."

In the two years since Expectations dropped, he has done exactly that: Dixon's latest project, Closer, "[breaks] down the core elements of R&B," he said, adding, "I even asked myself what I love about R&B."

Press play on the video above to watch Dixon keep the fire of classic R&B burning, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play at Home.  

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With "Hunger," rising indie star Abby Sage takes autonomy of her body. It’s a story of shameless self-discovery as she submits to her natural desires while simultaneously breaking down the toxic ideas she learned about sex in her adolescence.

"Feed my hunger/ No shame, I'm just a beginner," she croons in the chorus. "It's my own wonder/ Don't press, I'm just a beginner."

In this episode of Press Play, watch Sage deliver an acoustic performance of the single from her debut album, The Rot, which she released on March 1. According to a statement, the project is largely about "the decomposition and reconstruction of everything I was taught," including sex, anxiety, and more.

Sage said "Hunger" is "the most important song to me on the album" adding, "I wish I heard a song like this when I was first exploring my sexuality and my sexual journey, and for that reason, I hope it reaches people."

This May, Sage will embark on an international tour that begins in Los Angeles and concludes in London, with support from gglum, spiderblush, and Jayla Kai.

Watch the video above to hear Abby Sage's empowering performance of "Hunger," and remember to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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On "Dear Life," R&B singer Genia pens a farewell letter to her lover — while simultaneously reflecting on how the intense saga crumbled her.

"I can't take anymore/ Put my pride aside, thought you could save me," she cries in the first verse. "These days, I don't know what I need/ You destroy me from the inside out/ If I go off the deep end/ You'll be sure not to bring me back."

In this episode of Press Play, watch Genia deliver a stripped-down performance of the vulnerable track alongside her guitarist.

The California native released "Dear Life" on Nov. 10, via Def Jam Recordings. She has also dropped three more singles — "Like That," "Know!," and "Let Me Wander" — leading up to her sophomore mixtape, 4 AM In The Ville, on April 19. 4 AM is a sequel to her debut, 4 PM In The Ville; both projects are inspired by Genia's experience of growing up in Victorville, California.

""[The songs] explore the different stages of grief in a relationship," she revealed in an interview with Urban Magazine. "The second tape is really me touching on falling in love, betrayal, anger, and rape."

Watch the video above to hear Genia's acoustic performance of "Dear Life," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Now in her early twenties, R&B rookie Kenya Vaun would give anything to return to her childhood adolescence — the days of block-turned-house parties and no bills.

"Feels like it was only yesterday/ And life was so easy yesterday," Vaun raps in the chorus of her new song, "Yesterday." "If I had the chance to do it again/ I'd do it the same/ The joy and the pain/ The coldest of winters/ The summertime rain/ No, I wouldn't change my yesterdays."

In this episode of Press Play, watch Vaun deliver a live rendition of the track, straight from the recording studio.

"Yesterday" arrives on Vaun's latest EP, The Honeymoon Phase, which dropped March 22 via 300 Entertainment. She also released an accompanying music video, filmed in her hometown, Philadelphia.

"'Yesterday' talks about my experiences when I was younger because that is a huge part of what made me who I am today," Vaun said in an interview with Rated R&B. "Seeing how times are today, it's kind of like, 'Dang. Imagine if I grew up during this time.' I don't know how I would be, like, for real."

Watch the video above to hear Kenya Vaun's nostalgic performance of "Yesterday," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Press Play.

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On "Constellations," pop singer and social media star Jade LeMac has stars in her eyes after a passionate moment in love.

"Your freckles lead the way/ I trace your constellations," LeMac sings in the chorus. But as the two leave each other's arms, it's like they're a galaxy away: "Now, you're gone in the blink of an eye/ I try to remember what you look like/ Orion's Belt in the sky/ Closest thing to you other than my mind."

In this episode of Press Play, LeMac delivers an at-home performance of "Constellations," stripping down the wavy track with just an acoustic guitar.

Initially released in 2021 via Arista Records, "Constellations" was LeMac's debut single, and eventually became the title of her 2023 debut EP. Nine months after releasing Constellations, LeMac delivered another EP, titled Confessions — and on March 1, she gave it the deluxe treatment.

"['Constellations'] started this whole journey, and I wouldn't be here without it," she said in a statement about the song, which went viral on TikTok after being featured in Netflix's My Life with the Walter Boys. "I have learned so much about myself, my songwriting, and storytelling."

Watch the video above to watch Jade LeMac's lovesick performance of "Constellations," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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