Emmavie is a producer/vocalist from London that has been putting out music for about the last seven years. In 2019, she teamed up with Portland, Oregon label Fresh Selects to put out her full length album, Honeymoon. Now she’s back with a new EP full of collaborations, What’s a Diamond to a Baby.

One of the most underrated aspects of Emmavie’s music is her production. To a certain extent, I understand it, because she’s also a frontwoman with an excellent voice, but if one thing is clear throughout her career, it’s that her songwriting and production put her in the best position to succeed as a vocalist. On What’s a Diamond to a Baby, Emmavie delivers once again, finding a great mix between the neo-soul of artists like Erykah and Maxwell and the modern R&B/trap you might hear on the radio today, all infused with rhythms and melodies that hint at her British African heritage. As you work your way through these seven songs, you’ll be hit with a lot of different guest artists, with everyone from Phonte to Kojey Radical to Brandon Woody to Alfa Mist making an appearance, and that’s all nice, but it’s Emmavie’s voice and vision that power this musical journey. She can lay back in the cut and deliver some intimate love songs, or she can lay down some bigger beats and get the party going as she puts some oomph behind her vocals. Personally, it doesn’t get better than “2003,” which just features this wonderful and infectious bounce to the rhythm just feels light and breezy, capturing the joy of a summer romance.

What’s a Diamond to a Baby is a great return to the spotlight for Emmavie, but I’m sure this is just the interlude to some bigger projects she’s got coming in the near future. In the meantime, we’ve got some wonderful R&B to carry us through these hot summer nights.