Music news: Stop sleeping on EB3N before everyone else finds him
If you’re into artists like Avenoir, Devkota, Alan Vuong, Zuriel, and so many more who are quietly reshaping the alternative R&B scene, then add EB3N to your playlist.
Every music fan loves saying, "I've been listening to them since before they blew up.”
Not because of bragging rights (okay, maybe a little), but because you get to witness the journey in real time.
Waiting for every new release, their older music becomes more personal to you, and it’s exciting to watch that artist achieve every milestone they deserve.
With just over 122,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, the R&B singer-songwriter is still flying under the radar, but that probably won't last for long, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.
Music was never the plan at first
Before music became his full-time focus, EB3N was chasing a completely different dream.
Born in Antigua to Ghanaian parents before moving to Alberta, Canada, as a child, he spent years playing soccer.
Music was always there in the background, though.
African worship music filled his early years, while his two older sisters introduced him to artists like Chris Brown, Usher, Omarion, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Drake and Tyler, the Creator.
As he got older, his taste evolved towards modern R&B heavyweights including Bryson Tiller, Brent Faiyaz, Daniel Caesar, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Tory Lanez.
Those influences echo throughout his music today.
Ironically, it took the world slowing down for his own dream to speed up.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, EB3N began teaching himself piano, learning vocal control and eventually booking his first-ever studio session.
His debut single, "Far Away," arrived in 2021.
The reaction from friends, family and listeners was enough to convince him that this wasn't just a hobby anymore.
This was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
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Sometimes the best artists take their time
Instead of rushing towards an album, he spent the next few years releasing singles and slowly figuring out what kind of artist he wanted to be.
Then came "Sing Something."
Released in January 2024, the track has already passed 600,000 streams on Spotify, making it comfortably his biggest release to date.
Later, he released his first album, First Mistake, a project that showcased both his artistic growth and his willingness to experiment within contemporary R&B.
The project has three successful songs, “First Mistake,” “Attention,” and “IDC,” that gained over 300,000 streams each.
The album feels cohesive without every song sounding the same.
Whether he's leaning into softer melodies or more rhythmic production, there's a consistency to the way he writes that makes the album feel intentional from start to finish.
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An artist who’s still building
After this album, EB3N released one more single at the end of 2024 and three singles in 2025.
That continued this year with the releases of "Windy City" in February and "Projections" in April, which both have already done big numbers so far.
Rather than dramatically changing direction, both songs continue to reveal the sound he's been carefully crafting since 2021.
Every new release just seems to get better, with his sound becoming more confident, more unique to him.
It feels genuine because it is.
As an independent artist, he's spoken about the sacrifices required to keep pursuing music.
Sometimes that means relocating cities for opportunities, as well as trusting his instincts even when things don't unfold exactly as planned.
It's an attitude that's becoming increasingly common among this new generation of R&B artists, and it's refreshing to see someone embrace the process rather than chase overnight success.
There are artists you discover because everyone else is talking about them.
Then there are artists you discover because one song unexpectedly finds its way onto your queue of songs, and suddenly you're listening through their entire discography.
EB3N falls into that second category.
And judging by the steady growth of his catalogue, the quality of his songwriting and the confidence behind every release, EB3N may not stay that underground for much longer.
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